Inshore Fisheries Pilot: Inner Sound of Skye - A Consultation

The Scottish Government launched the Inshore Fisheries Pilots initiative in July 2017 with the aim of exploring alternative approaches to managing inshore fisheries. The initiative sought to explore two approaches to fisheries management:

• a more localised approach where fishing interests are central to the development of fisheries management arrangements; and
• spatial separation of fishing operations, such as static (creeling) and mobile (trawling) within specified areas.

At the time two proposals were not taken forward which included introducing a permanent prohibition on mobile gear fishing in the Inner Sound of Skye. Following the outcome of the 2017 consultation, further representations were made to the Scottish Government calling for the Inner Sound proposal to be reconsidered. Marine Scotland agreed to revisit the proposal to establish if there were any unique learning opportunities to be explored. A revised proposal was then developed by local fishing associations that sought to address the issues highlighted. 

The consultation document outlined these changes and sought views on whether Marine Scotland should introduce the measures as described to the Inner Sound of Skye.

There were 94 respondents to the consultation, consisting of 24 from organisations and 70 from individuals. Respondents were primarily those with a direct interest in the management of the fisheries in the Inner Sound Skye, with the majority of individuals and organisations being either fishers or fishing organisations respectively.

Respondents provided a range of constructive comments on the pilot proposals. The consultation outcome report provides an analysis of these responses.

The responses to the consultation make it clear that there is continuing opposition to the proposed inshore fisheries pilot in the Inner Sound of Skye. While some of the management proposals were well supported, such as improving vessel monitoring and tighter effort controls in the creel fishery, the majority of the proposed measure set out in the consultation were strongly opposed by respondents.

The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting the local management of fisheries, and has identified four strands of work that can be taken forward to deliver improvements.

• Improving monitoring
• Improving management
• Improving the knowledge base
• Improving communication

Further information on the decision making process is available in the consultation outcome report.