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Banff and Buchan MP criticises Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP for ‘disowning fishing industry’


By David Porter

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Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid has criticised Karen Adam for “disowning the fishing industry” and putting “political games ahead of constituents” after she voted against reconsidering proposals on Highly Protected Marine Areas despite widespread concern from the sector.

MP David Duguid has criticised MSP Karen Adam
MP David Duguid has criticised MSP Karen Adam

Mr Duguid said the SNP Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP was “happy to see the fishing sector sink” as she opted against changing “catastrophic” plans for a partial squeeze in Scottish waters.

Just three SNP MSPs, Kate Forbes, Fergus Ewing and Alasdair Allan, did not vote with the rest of their party while three others Annabelle Ewing, Christine Grahame and Ash Regan abstained.

Mr Duguid has been campaigning against the Scottish Government’s HPMA proposals for the last year, having written to several Ministers, including the First Minister, asking why the amount of HPMA coverage in Scottish waters (10 per cent) needs to be almost twenty times as much as the UK Government plans for English waters (0.53 per cent).

It follows concerns from organisations including the Scottish Fisherman’s Federation (SFF) which described the current SNP-Green plans as “government greenwashing” while “prioritising political objectives over good policy-making and decision-taking”.

A Scottish Conservative motion in Holyrood called on the Government to “fundamentally reconsider” HPMAs.

However, an amendment by Màiri McAllan, the SNP Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition, highlighted that no sites had been selected and said the Government “will not impose HMPAs on communities that are vehemently opposed to them”.

This amendment was backed by 61 votes to 55.

Reacting to the vote, the Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid said: “Karen Adam has chosen loyalty to SNP and Green ideology and disowned the fishing industry by voting against our call to reconsidering the SNP’s catastrophic approach to HPMAs.

“Her true colours have shown through by putting political games to satisfy the SNP’s Green coalition partners ahead of her constituents.

“She claims to support the industry but what she has actually voted for goes completely against the needs of the sector and coastal communities.

“The SNP-Green coalition keep treating the fishing industry like it doesn’t exist and if they get their way, their wish may just come true.

“The Scottish Conservative motion on HPMAs puts the interests of fishermen and Scotland’s coastal communities first and it’s shameful that all but one SNP MSP did not support it.

“Neither the industry or I are against reasonable proposals to enhance conservation and sustainability but, like so many other policies of this Scottish Government, their approach is poorly thought through and unworkable.”

Scottish Conservative MSP Rachael Hamilton, who put forward the Conservative motion, said: “Even backbench SNP MSPs have recognised the damage that Humza Yousaf’s HPMA proposals would do to coastal communities right across Scotland.

"The SNP-Green Government must listen to the opposition across the Scottish Parliament and from Scotland’s fishermen and scrap its plans to ban fishing in large parts of Scottish waters.”

The Scottish Conservatives want to see a community-led approach which would include commissioning a feasibility study into giving councils more power to ensure marine protection designations are effectively implemented and enforced.

SFF statement: https://www.sff.co.uk/growing-coalition-of-voices-opposes-highly-protected-marine-areas/


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