It has been almost a year since we reported illegal damage caused to the seabed in Gairloch – a small part of our inshore sea that has been given legal protection for over a century.
Unfortunately, the law only provides protection in principle, and there have been a number of reports of illegal damage to protected areas around Scotland in this year (such as north west Jura, Sound of Mull, Summer Isles). The Scottish Government response has sometimes been unclear; often the only information in the public domain is that which has been reported in the press.
Enforcement activity is the job for Scotland’s Fisheries Officers, but here we want to share and explain the evidence we have, set out our view of what we think the problem is, and allow you to consider the issue yourself. We want to highlight the damage being caused and what it means for your seas, Scotland’s seafood and the communities that rely on it. [Read more…]
