Chamber and committees

That is helpful. The point about the safety of fishermen was well made—that applies across the board.

What will happen with the project now, given that it is not clear where the funding will come from following exit from the European Union?

My final question is about the impact on the fishing fleet of marine animal entanglements—and not just inshore, as there is also a problem with gill netters. Can you say anything about that?

It was about the impact of the entanglements on the industry.

I suppose that we also need to ensure that sectors are involved in on-going discussions. Communities feel that things are being done to them rather than with them or without people being brought along.

I would like to hear a bit more about seas being crowded with renewables, offshore wind farms, fishing and so on. How can we ensure that all the sectors work together?

Good morning. I will ask Fiona Read about entanglements in creels. In her opening statement, she indicated that only 5 per cent were reported. I want to understand a bit more about the numbers of fishermen involved in the project, in order to get an understanding of the figures and who is reporting.

Rachel Shucksmith has answered many of the questions that I was going to put to her about the order that the SSMO regulates. She has already touched on how important devolving matters to local communities has been in relation to the regulating order and she has also answered the questions that I had about gill netters and marine litter.

The regulating order is underpinned by continued scientific evidence. I know of the work that goes on at the marine centre at Scalloway. Over the past few years, what have the impacts of that been on the marine environment and in terms of the climate emergency?

So, it is a combination of management and climate change.

That is an important point about bycatch, with the industry and scientists working together.

Professor Smith, you indicated that 80 per cent of Scotland’s peatlands are degraded but can be restored. There is concern about peat being dug up for the construction of wind farms and the installation of wind turbines for green energy. I am also aware of peatland restoration work occurring around such wind farm projects. What is the impact of wind farm building on the biodiversity of peatlands?