FISHERMEN have accused the Scottish Government of pandering to "lightweight, populist lobbying" amid a growing row over changes to rules covering fishing grounds.
Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fisherman's Federation, warned that recently announced management measures for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) threatens the viability of inshore fisheries on the West coast and could devastate fragile communities that rely on fishing.
Speaking after a meeting with Fisheries Secretary on Monday, Mr Armstrong said:"We outlined to the Minister in the strongest possible terms the devastating impact these measures will have on fragile coastal communities on the West coast.
"The Scottish fishing industry fully supports the concept of MPAs, provided their designation and management is done in an evidence based manner, looking soberly at the overall management objectives of effective marine conservation and supporting a sustainable fishing industry. Conservation measures need to be right, not gratuitously damaging in pursuit of, in the Minister's words, "ambition".
"Unfortunately, the minister still seemed keen to pander to lightweight, populist lobbying and failed to understand the impact these recently announced measures will have on several of our small coastal communities, where the loss of even one or two boats could affect local schools and other pillars of village life."
The Scottish Government announced on 11 June the management measures for 11 inshore MPAs and nine Special Areas of Conservation (SAC).
Some fishermen fear that the new statutory measures giving protection to many vulnerable marine habitats, which take effect from October, go far beyond what was discussed in the consultation and would lead to the likes of scallop dredging being banned from some areas.
Mr Armstrong added: "These measures are a total over-reach of the objectives set out in the agreed MPA process and we will continue our fight to oppose them in the strongest possible manner.
"We hope the Minister will reflect carefully on the unnecessary loss of trust that his actions have caused and act accordingly."
Following the meeting, Richard Lochhead said: "Scotland's seas are an important and valuable natural asset. It is crucial that we strike the right balance between environmental protection and fishing activity. That is why I have introduced a number of Marine Protected Areas in parts of our seas to protect marine species and their habitats.
"As I have made clear in my meeting with the SFF today, our assessment of the overall impacts of the proposed measures on the fishing industry are low and I expect longer term benefits both to the fishing industry and wider society.
"Following the previous consultation, all interested parties can now submit their views on the draft Marine Conservation orders and we will continue to work with the industry and environmental interests to ensure we protect our seas and continue to have a sustainable fishing industry."
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