Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-15313

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether separate annual total allowable catches have been set for each site of the razor clam electrofishing trial and, if so, what these are.

Question reference: S5W-15312

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the five-year average catch for unlicensed razor clam fishing being 612 tonnes, and the commitment in the letter of 8 December 2017 from the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee "to take a cautious approach to the catch limit for the trial", whether an annual total allowable catch has been set for the razor clam electrofishing trial and, if so, what this is.

It is not correct to state that fishing for razor clams undertaken prior to 1 February 2018 was “unlicensed”. UK fishing vessels landing razor clams prior to this date did so further to the authority granted them under their sea fisheries licence and, in the case of Scottish fishing vessels, a bespoke razor fish licence.

An annual total allowable catch has not been set for the razor clam electrofishing trial. Vessels have initially been set a daily catch limit (450 kilogrammes) and a limit on days at sea in a 12 month period (110 days) has also been introduced. Marine Scotland is monitoring catch uptake and reserves the right to adjust the conditions set during the trial.

Question reference: S5W-15296

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the vessels licensed to take part in the razor clam electrofishing trial are registered in England.

Question reference: S5W-15302

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason a carriage order was not included in the Razor Clams (Prohibition on Fishing and Landing) (Scotland) Order 2017 (SSI 2017/419) to allow for additional enforcement action to be taken in relation to illegal razor clam fishing activity.

Question reference: S5W-15304

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether any vessels licensed to participate in the razor clam electrofishing trial are doing so prior to their electrofishing gear having been inspected by Marine Scotland Compliance.

Question reference: S5W-15309

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the area covered by the 24 Food Standards Agency Shellfish Classified Waters are within the razor clam electrofishing trial (a) site 4, (b) site 10b and (c) sites that have already opened.

The Food Standards Agency has no role on this issue in Scotland. It is presumed that Mr Wightman means Food Standards Scotland, the independent agency established to 2015 in Scotland and answers to his question are provided on that basis. The trial areas are limited to waters below mean low water spring (MLWS), whereas Food Standards Scotland (FSS) classified areas generally extend to mean high water spring (MHWS).

a) The boundary of the trial area 4 is yet to be confirmed, but there are four sites classified by FSS for razor clams in the general area of Barra. 75 per cent of the classified waters are included within the draft boundary, this represents 100 per cent of classified waters below MLWS.

b) The boundary of the trial area 10b is yet to be confirmed, but there are two sites classified by FSS for razor clams in the general area of Luce Bay. 82 per cent of the classified waters are included within the draft boundary, this represents 100 per cent of classified waters below MLWS.

c) There are fourteen sites classified by FSS for razor clams in these sites. In total, 83 per cent of the classified waters are included within these trial boundaries. For the fourteen sites within trial areas, this represents 100 per cent of classified waters below MLWS.

Question reference: S5W-15299

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how Marine Scotland Compliance (MSC) plans to monitor licensed razor clam electrofishing fishing activity in the 12 razor clam electrofishing trial sites, in particular sites, such as the Sound of Harris and Sound of Sleat, where additional avoidance areas have been identified, and how MSC will ensure that there is no unlicensed activity.

With respect to the monitoring of vessels participating in the trial, I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-15298 on 26 April 2018. In relation to any razor fishing that vessels not authorised within the terms of the trial, Marine Scotland Compliance will take appropriate steps to detect and address such activity. In this context it is relevant that the Razor Clams (Prohibition on Fishing and Landing) (Scotland) Order 2017 prohibits not only the fishing for but also the landing of razor clams.

The use of Registered Buyers and Sellers legislation will also allow compliance to be monitored post landing. Risk assessments will be regularly reviewed and acted upon including visits to buyers and sellers of razor clams.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Question reference: S5W-15301

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how Marine Scotland Compliance is monitoring areas outside the razor clam electrofishing trial sites to ensure that there is no unlicensed activity.

Question reference: S5W-15307

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when Appropriate Assessments, as required under the EU's habitats directive, will be (a) completed and (b) published for the (i) 4 and (ii) 10b trial area.

Question reference: S5W-15303

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the requirements set out during the October 2016 plenary session of the EU's Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, what management process has been agreed for the trials of electrofishing for razor clams in Scottish waters to ensure "that the application of the technology stays within agreed bounds".

Derogations issued to authorise vessels to take part in the trial require vessels to deploy only specified electrical equipment, and said equipment must be inspected prior to the commencement of fishing operations. Arrangements are being made to allow for the continuing monitoring of the use of equipment while vessels are at sea. The future participation in the trial of any participant not deploying the specified electrical equipment will be reviewed.