Fisheries management measures within Scottish Offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): consultation analysis

Central Fladen MPA

Overview

Overall, the vast majority of responses to this question indicate support for Option 2 for Central Fladen MPA. This is significantly influenced by responses from the Oceana and SE Link campaigns which support these measures while responses from the SWFPA campaign prefer Option 1.

Notably, the majority of organisational responses (65%) and non-campaign responses (67%) prefer Option 1 over Option 2.

These perspectives indicate a divide between industry stakeholders, concerned about economic impacts and job security, and conservation advocates, focused on comprehensive environmental protections to enhance resilience against climate change and achieve conservation targets.

Support for Option 2 (full site) measures

The vast majority of responses expressed strong support for Option 2, with one response summarising the removal of demersal gear “from 100% of Central Fladen NCMPA as necessary to restore the site’s features to favourable condition” [Organisation].

Relatedly, those in support of Option 2 pointed out that the primary obligation of managing this MPA is to restore the features to favourable conservation status and that demersal trawling poses a significant risk to this obligation. They therefore felt that Option 2 would deliver the greater and faster achievement of these objectives:

“Only protecting a small proportion of area (35%, and only 40% of the protected feature) where the least fishing intensity occurs is not acceptable and will not achieve the conservation objectives nor will it contribute to habitat and environmental restoration, deliver on the government’s policy commitments, and meet legal and international treaty obligations” – [Organisation].

Potential ecological benefits of full site protection

Several respondents in favour of Option 2 outlined the potential benefits of full site measures in protecting burrowed mud (a designated feature of the MPA). They described how burrowed mud is an important nursery ground for species such as juvenile cod, whiting and haddock, and protecting this from disruption by mobile demersal mobile gear will help support stock recovery and, in turn, increase prey availability for seabirds.

Others wrote that the restoration of burrowed mud across the Central Fladen MPA, would preserve existing carbon stocks and had potential to support adjacent areas of the Fladen grounds through export of sea pen and other larvae.

Consideration of Option 1

Although the majority of responses supported full site measures (Option 2), those in support of Option 1 noted that the zonal fisheries management measures proposed for the Central Fladen MPA were developed as part of a lengthy and meaningful stakeholder engagement process and should be respected.

However, some of these respondents said they were “mindful that this option was developed over 7 years ago”. They pointed to changes in relation to access to fishing opportunities in the intervening years, including the expansion of renewable energy sites, the evolution of the Cod Avoidance Plan, and acknowledged that some views may differ in real time and need to be considered.

Summary

The responses to the proposed full site fisheries management measures for the Central Fladen MPA reveal a strong consensus in favour of comprehensive protection (Option 2). There was marked backing for the removal of demersal gear from the full Central Fladen site to restore its features to favourable condition.

Respondents also outlined the ecological benefits of full site measures, particularly where the protection of burrowed mud - a designated feature of the MPA – could boost stock recovery and increase prey availability for seabirds.