The SNP will continue to stand up for Scotland’s fishing in Holyrood and Westminster.
Scotland has over 60% of the UK’s fishing waters and an abundance of marine resources – we will treat these as a national asset to be protected, nurtured, developed and enhanced for the benefit of this and future generations.
The SNP will reform and streamline regulatory processes for fish farms so that development is more responsive, transparent and efficient.
At the heart of our new approach will be a new, single determining authority for farm consents, modelled on the regulatory regime in Norway. This will bring greater clarity, transparency and speed to the process, while working to Scotland’s national maritime strategy.
This is a proposal of the Salmon Interactions Working Group and has been welcomed by the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation. The SNP will explore the implementation of the other unanimous proposals of the SIWG in the next term of parliament as well.
The SNP will support innovation in aquaculture, for example by exploring the development of closed containment fish production on land for later release. This will support sustainable salmon fishing in Scotland, and work against de-population.
Fiona Hyslop