RSPB Scotland hails Scottish Authorities announcement of a session on ending industrial sandeel fishing in Scottish waters.
The announcement by the Scottish Authorities of a session to shut Scottish waters to industrial sandeel fishing by EU trawlers is a recreation changer in efforts to assist our most threatened seabirds, says RSPB Scotland. The character conservation charity is asking on folks to lift their voice in help of those measures within the session, due this summer season.
Scotland is house to globally vital populations of seabird species however lots of them have seen big declines of their numbers as a consequence of a spread of human created pressures. Species which might be extremely depending on sandeels for meals are faring the worst and have suffered frequent and widespread breeding failures; Kittiwakes and Puffins are actually threatened with world extinction.
The removing of sandeels, small oily fish, from Scottish waters – virtually solely by EU trawlers – has been a difficulty for many years because it depletes the meals out there and makes it tougher for seabirds to search out sufficient meals to feed their chicks. It additionally exacerbates the impression local weather change is having on sandeel numbers.
Puffin, copyright Glyn Sellors, from the surfbirds galleries
Pressures seabirds face embody: local weather change, prey availability, mortality in fishing gear, and offshore wind growth. The present outbreak of Avian Flu (HPAI) which ripped by many colonies in summer season 2022, killing tens of hundreds of grownup and chick seabirds within the UK, is making the necessity to defend very important meals sources, like sandeels, much more pressing.
For a few years, the Scottish Authorities has led the best way within the UK at safeguarding sandeels from industrial fishing together with the creation of the North East UK Sandeel Closure and the designations of Marine Protected Areas for sandeels and feeding seabirds. Right this moment’s dedication to a session is an important step nearer to securing Scottish Authorities’s longstanding place to not help industrial fishing for sandeels in Scottish waters.
Aedán Smith, Head of Coverage and Advocacy at RSPB Scotland stated: “Closing Scottish waters to industrial sandeel fishing is the one biggest motion that may be taken to help our most susceptible seabirds proper now. It is not going to solely construct their resilience within the face of Avian Flu but additionally assist them climate the multitude of different human made pressures they face.
“We commend the management proven by the Scottish Authorities on this concern, and urge folks throughout Scotland so as to add their voice to help for this very important proposed change to make sure industrial sandeel fishing is dropped at an finish as soon as and for all, and earlier than subsequent yr’s fishing season begins in April 2024. Scotland’s seabirds are in decline and face a number of threats we have to do all we are able to to safe a greater future for them.”
Yearly industrial trawlers, principally from Denmark, take away hundreds of tonnes of sandeels from the North Sea in Scottish waters to show into fishmeal and fish oil to be used in industrial livestock and fish feed. RSPB Scotland have been calling for motion to sort out this for many years. Ending industrial sandeel fishing would have minimal impression on Scottish fishing vessels. Bigger fish like salmon, and commercially focused shares like haddock and cod additionally feed on sandeels and may gain advantage from the proposals.
Scotland is house to nearly all of the UK’s seabirds so these proposals are very important in efforts to enhance the long run outlook for our internationally vital colonies. Defra is at the moment consulting on introducing a full prohibition on sandeel fishing in English waters, which along with Scotland will ship the very measures wanted to convey industrial sandeel fishing to an finish across the UK, serving to to construct resilience in our seas at a important time.
The Scottish Authorities’s announcement might be considered right here.
