Fishing quota - additional allocation from 2024: equality impact assessment

Stage 3: Assessing the impacts and identifying opportunities to promote equality

Having considered the data and evidence you have gathered, this section requires you to consider the potential impacts – negative and positive – that your policy might have on each of the protected characteristics. It is important to remember the duty is also a positive one – that we must explore whether the policy offers the opportunity to promote equality and/or foster good relations.

Question 1: Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their age?

• Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
  • None: The policy has no impacts on people because of their age.
• Advancing equality of opportunity
  • Positive: The policy may attract new entrants and encourage younger people into the fishing industry
• Promoting good relations among and between different age groups
  • None: The policy will have no effect on promoting good relations among and between different age groups

Question 2: Do you think that the policy impacts disabled people?

• Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
  • None: There is no data nor research on disability in the Scottish fishing industry workforce as far as we are aware. It is difficult to assess the type of impacts without further data.
• Advancing equality of opportunity
  • None: as above
• Promoting good relations among and between disabled and non-disabled people
  • None: as above

Question 3: Do you think that the policy impacts on men and women in different ways?

• Eliminating unlawful discrimination
  • None: Although the policy may directly impact the catching sector it recognises that women play an active role in many parts of the industry although this is not always readily acknowledged. The policy recognises the important role that all parts of society make to the fishing industry, but does not improve or worsen issues relating to different impacts of fishing on men and women.
• Advancing equality of opportunity
  • None: as above
• Promoting good relations between men and women
  • None: as above

Question 4: Do you think that the policy impacts on women because of pregnancy and maternity?

• Eliminating unlawful discrimination
  • None: No policy impact identified but we recognise that there are a wide range of groups that are involved in fishing, both directly and indirectly, and will ensure that we are inclusive in our management approach and our policies. As discussed the role that many women play in Scottish fishing industry is often overlooked and less visible within the industry, however the allocation of AQ does not improve or worsen issues relating to impacts on women because of pregnancy and maternity.
• Advancing equality of opportunity
  • None: as above
• Promoting good relations
  • None: as above

Question 5: Do you think your policy impacts on people proposing to undergo, undergoing, or who have undergone a process for the purpose of reassigning their sex? (NB: the Equality Act 2010 uses the term ‘transsexual people’ but ‘trans people’ is more commonly used)

• Eliminating unlawful discrimination
  • None: No policy impact identified since are not aware of any relevant existing evidence at this time on gender reassignment in relation to the fishing industry.
• Advancing equality of opportunity
  • None: as above
• Promoting good relations
  • None: as above

Question 6: Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their sexual orientation?

• Eliminating unlawful discrimination
  • None: No policy impact identified as we are not aware of any relevant existing evidence at this time on sexual orientation in relation to the policy.
• Advancing equality of opportunity
  • None: as above
• Promoting good relations
  • None: as above

Question 7: Do you think the policy impacts on people on the grounds of their race?

• Eliminating unlawful discrimination
  • None: We recognise that there are differences in fleet segments relating to their use of crewmembers from non-UK countries, and that these are associated with different economic outcomes. This policy does not improve or worsen these issues.
• Advancing equality of opportunity
  • None: as above
• Promoting good race relations
  • None: as above

Question 8: Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their religion or belief?

• Eliminating unlawful discrimination
  • None: No policy impact identified since we are not aware of any relevant existing evidence at this time on religion or belief in relation to the policy.
• Advancing equality of opportunity
  • None: as above
• Promoting good relations
  • None: as above

Question 9: Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their marriage or civil partnership^[4]?

• Eliminating unlawful discrimination
  • None: No policy impact identified since we are not aware of any relevant existing evidence at this time on marriage and civil partnership in relation to the policy.