MP highlights continued concerns despite HPMA U-turn

Following the announcement today of a rethink over plans for Highly Protected Marine Areas, Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid has said that concerns remain in the fishing communities over the situation.

He said: “The SNP-Green government’s announcement on merely delaying their plans doesn’t address the fishing sector’s fundamental concerns on the implementation of HPMAs.

“I congratulate the SFF and other industry stakeholders who have shown, through their own concerns, expertise and approach to sustainability and conservation, that they will not let the Scottish Government pull the wool over their eyes.

“Mairi McAllan has dressed this up as a rethink but she appears to be just kicking the can down the road to 2030 and wants to tie our fishing industry back to the EU by assigning HPMAs in 10 per cent of Scottish waters.

“This has been yet another hastily implemented scheme by the SNP and has been poorly consulted with the industry and communities affected.

“Fishermen are not against conservation and the Scottish Government should take this delay to engage properly on why and how these measures should be introduced in an environment the industry knows best.”

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