Balancing exploitation and conservation in Scottish seas

Scotland is proposing new measures to increase energy production from the seas around its coastline, while at the same time giving protection to the environment and wildlife of these areas.

The dangers and advantages are intertwined. Most of the country’s population lives within 12 kilometers of the shoreline, the length of which makes up a massive ten percent of the coastline for the entire continent.

The country’s economy gathers no less than £2bn each year from various resources that the waters have to offer.

Scotland exports £422m worth of fish and seafood each year from over a hundred sea ports dotted around its coast.

There are also multiple oil rigs and many cruise ships packed with tourist eager to spend their US dollars.

The green lobby considers the proposed Marine Bill, currently under consultation by Parliament, as the only opportunity Scotland will ever have to ensure the future of the marine environment.

The proposals include new simpler planning proposals and increased ease of application for those companies seeking to use the coastal waters to produce renewable energy.

Conversely, environmental groups are adamant that there needs to be increased protection for the sea and its life, which is believed to number some 40,000 different species in Scottish waters, encompassing whales and seals as well as a multitude of fish and other marine creatures.

They also say that the country’s fishing industry must move towards a more sustainable fishing culture if it is to survive in the long-term.

Clearly, the challenge for the Scottish Parliament and people is to find a mix of power generation and wildlife sustainability that is viable for the foreseeable future.

According to the bill’s backer, Richard Lochhead, this is exactly the balance they are trying to achieve, by allowing Scotland to benefit from its waters while still keeping its environment healthy and sustainable.

However, environmental groups point out that evidence shows that there is already a serious decline in marine animals and fish, as well as a large scale eroding of habitats.

In addition, they see the new bill as a way to stop the encroachment of human activity, rather than finding ways to allow an easier access to the marine environment for all kinds of industries that could have a worsening effect on the marine environment.