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-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-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-15317

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 the vessels licensed to participate in the razor clam electrofishing trial can fish in all 12 trial sites, or whether they are restricted to particular sites.

Question reference: S5W-15298

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 fish in the razor clam electrofishing trial are fitted with operational vessel monitoring systems.

Under present EU law vessels of length overall 12 metres and over must have installed an operating and tamper proof vessel monitoring system. It is planned however that all vessels participating in the trial will have installed on-board an additional and bespoke monitoring system, which will confirm both vessel position and also when specified electrical equipment is being used. Installation of this equipment is a condition of the derogation that authorises participation in the trial. The installation of this equipment will allow for real time access to the on-board system for Compliance Officers. This system has been trialled and gives clear indication of vessel activities, including the vessel’s position every 10 seconds.

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-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.

Question reference: S5W-15305

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 its response to the consultation on electrofishing for razor clams in Scotland in April 2017, which stated that "in due course, the Government will confirm one or possibly two trial areas where, following initial stock assessments, a limited number of fishing vessels will be permitted to harvest razor clams by electrofishing", what the (a) policy and (b) legal basis was for its decision to designate 12 razor clam electrofishing trial sites, which constitute almost 10% of Scottish inshore waters and 10 of which are already operational.

Further to consultation with fishermen and other interested parties the Scottish Government considered that it was possible, and potentially more informative, to undertake a trial over a larger number of clearly defined areas than was initially anticipated in the consultation response document of April 2017. It is considered that a trial over a larger number of areas has the potential to involve significantly greater economic benefits than a more limited trial, in the light of recent recorded landing figures and views expressed about the abundance of razor clams in a number of areas around the coast. In addition it is considered that it is possible to monitor effectively activity over the areas selected for the trial, in light of the conditions attached to vessel derogations and having regard to the use of electronic monitoring equipment that will be installed on-board fishing vessels. The Scottish Government will keep the trial under review and reserves the right to close areas to further fishing at any time during the trial period. The legal basis of the trial is Article 43 of EC Regulation 850/98.

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-15314

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 by the October 2016 plenary session of the EU Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, what framework has been agreed for monitoring the (a) short- and (b) long-term impacts of electrofishing for razor clams during the trial in Scottish waters.

Fishing vessels participating in the trial are required to gather information specified by Marine Scotland. The gathering of information may require the installation of electronic equipment, including cameras. A protocol for the gathering of information to further monitor the fishery, local catch rates and the electrofishing method is being developed and will be introduced into the derogation. Vessels will be required to provide information about catches, in terms of location and rates of catch, which will assist in building an evidence base about razor clam stocks in the trial areas. The Government will keep under review, as the trial progresses, rates of catches from the different areas in the trial. The Government reserves the right, in particular, to close further areas to fishing or introduce specific conditions for different trial areas.