Proposed inshore fisheries pilot host sites 2017: consultation analysis

Introduction

This report summarises feedback to questions posed in the consultation and provides Marine Scotland's response to each pilot proposal, taking into account: consistency with the criteria set out in proposal form guidance, consultation feedback and wider considerations.

Marine Scotland issued the Consultation on Proposed Sites to Host Inshore Fisheries Pilots 2017 on 30 November 2017 and the consultation closed on 22 February 2018.

Background to the Consultation

At the core of the Inshore Fisheries Strategy 2015 ^[1] , is a commitment to improve the evidence base on which fisheries management decisions are made, streamline fisheries governance and promote stakeholder participation. These pilots will help us to achieve these aims.

In July 2017, Marine Scotland invited proposals from the commercial fishing sector for areas to be considered under the Inshore Fisheries Pilots initiative. As a result of that process, seven proposals were received.

To see these proposals please go to http://www.gov.scot/Topics/marine/Sea-Fisheries/InshoreFisheries/InshoreFisheriesPilots. The proposal form guidance, which includes the criteria against which pilots were to be selected, is also contained on this site.

Following a review of the proposals and further discussions with proposers, Marine Scotland brought forward five different proposals for public consultation due to their practical application and being most in line with the stated aims of the initiative.

These proposals cover:

• The Inner Sound of Skye
• The Isle of Mull
• The Orkney Isles
• The Outer Hebrides
• Arbroath and Montrose

Format of the Consultation

Each of the proposals was explored in turn in the consultation document. For the proposals originating from the Inner Sound of Skye, Mull, Orkney Isles and the Outer Hebrides, the following was outlined based on information from the proposal forms:

• Who had put forward the proposal
• The area to which the proposal would apply
• What changes the proposals would wish to see introduced
• The expected benefits
• How changes will be monitored

For Arbroath and Montrose we outlined the aspect of the proposal selected for further investigation.

Respondents to the consultation

There were 122 responses ^[2] to the consultation. These consisted of 95 private individuals (78%) and 27 organisations (22%). Respondents break down by type as follows:

Data used in this Outcome Report

This outcome report uses data collated by Marine Scotland Compliance from sales notes and EU logbooks that is held in the Fisheries Information Network ( FIN) database. It also uses records from the iFISH database and VMS data from vessels to give additional information on activity. It is important to note that any landings data used for 2017 are provisional.

Format of the Outcome Report

In this report we examine each of the proposals in turn, analysing the responses received and identifying supportive and unsupportive groups (where possible).

Themes in responses are then examined, placing particular emphasis on recurrent themes in answers.

Finally, for each section we state whether the proposal will be introduced as a pilot, having considered how consistent the proposal is with the criteria set out in the proposal process and consultation responses.