Assessing fisheries displacement by other licensed marine activities: good practice guidance

4 Definition of displacement

For the purpose of this Guidance, displacement of commercial fishing activity (or commercial fisheries displacement) refers to the relocation of fishing activity (effort) from an area where that fishing activity typically occurs into other area(s) as a result of other licensed marine activities and associated infrastructure ('the development').

The following list provides examples of potential impacts according to stakeholder consultation and existing research:

• Increased competition for fishing grounds and conflict between and within fishing methods;
• Potential decreases or changes in catch of certain target species (loss of access to fishing grounds in reference to previous area / productivity) which could potentially lead to an individual exiting the fishing industry; and
• Increased steaming time to access alternative fishing grounds.

4.1 Assumptions and exclusions

This Guidance focusses on fishing methods which have been identified as priority research areas for displacement through the ScotMER evidence map and consultation, which are as follows:

• The Scottish King Scallop dredge fishery;
• The Demersal Trawl fishery including pair trawling and Nephrops trawling;
• Scottish Seine Net fleet; and
• Static fishing gear (creels).

The Guidance provided in Sections 5 and 6 is intended to equip EIA practitioners and reviewers with transferable key points for consideration during the assessment of commercial fisheries displacement which will be relevant to fishing methods other than those highlighted above, within and outside of the Scottish Zone.^[8] This Guidance, although targeted for OWF, is also intended to be transferable for assessments which are carried out for the consent applications of a range of other licensed marine activities, such as other marine renewable energy developments (wave and tidal), oil and gas, aquaculture, marine spatial planning and marine protected areas.

For the purpose of the application of this Guidance, it is recommended that consideration is made of the potential impacts to the commercial fishing fleets which are displaced (sometimes referred to as primary displacement)^[9] and those which are already active in the area to where primary displacement takes place to (sometimes referred to as secondary displacement), either seasonally, cyclically or year-round (see Box 1).

Further displacement effects such as displacement of already existing fisheries into a third area, or potential impacts to environmental receptors other than commercial fisheries will not be covered within this Guidance.

Box 1 – Primary and Secondary Displacement

Primary displacement refers to the first instance of displacement where fishing effort is relocated to another area as a result of a change in the spatial environment. In the context of this guidance, this corresponds to displacement that is a direct result of other licensed marine activities and associated infrastructure.

Secondary displacement is an indirect effect of the other licensed marine activity and associated infrastructure. This occurs when the fishing effort that is relocated through primary displacement also displaces fishing effort.

Overlap of other licensed marine activity and fishing effort – Primary displacement – Displacement of fishing effort to another area operated by pre-established fishing fleets – Secondary displacement – Displaced Effort.

4.2 Relevant Marine Scotland and Scottish Government guidance and plans

There are several guidance documents, plans and strategies which are relevant to marine spatial planning, offshore renewable development, fisheries management and commercial fisheries displacement. A full list of those which are of relevance to this Guidance are provided in Section 3 of the Literature Review.^[10]