Improving inshore fisheries data: Consultation on requiring electronic tracking and monitoring technology on under 12 metre commercial fishing vessels

Introduction

1. Scotland's fishing industry plays an important role in our culture, our economy and our rural and island communities. The diverse, high quality seafood landed by our fishers provides a healthy and sustainable food source, both nationally and internationally. Scotland's inshore waters contain a multitude of commercially fished species including Nephrops, scallops, crab, lobster, cod, haddock and mackerel. Around 80% of our approximately 2,080 registered fishing vessels are primarily engaged in these fisheries in inshore waters.^[1]

2. The Scottish Government is committed to the sustainable management of this diverse sector, supporting its resilience and coexistence with other users of our shared marine space. At a time of increasing competition for this marine space, it is important that we balance our commitments to net zero, protection of the marine environment, energy security and food security, and thriving communities.

3. Scotland's National Marine Plan (NMP) provides the guiding framework for sustainable management of marine activities and resources in Scottish waters.^[2] The NMP reflects the vision set out in the UK Marine Policy Statement for 'clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas' and also our commitment to achieve Good Environmental Status for UK waters.^{[3], [4], [5], [6]}

4. Our Blue Economy approach will frame management of Scotland's marine environment to 2045, with our Fisheries Management Strategy (FM Strategy) as one of its cornerstones.^[7] The FM Strategy sets out a vision for Scotland to be a world class fishing nation delivering responsible and sustainable fisheries management, enabling access to high protein, low carbon food. It sets out our approach to managing Scottish sea fisheries in a way that balances environmental, social and economic interests; working in partnership with our stakeholders to deliver the best results for the future of our marine environment, our fishing industry and the communities that rely on them.

5. A key action in the FM Strategy is to use existing tools and emerging technology to improve our knowledge base and improve management in our waters. We recognise that there is more that can be done to improve data on inshore fishing vessels' activity. Such data would help us to manage fisheries sustainably for the future, deliver enhanced marine environmental protection, improve control and enforcement tools and, better inform spatial planning decisions.

6. This consultation seeks stakeholder views on the use of vessel tracking (also called i-VMS) and inshore Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) technologies to better understand the distribution and activity of inshore commercial fishing vessels under 12 metres in length.

7. The use of tracking and inshore REM technology on such vessels is not considered to have direct environmental, social or economic impacts on Scotland's marine environment. However, the proposals in this consultation align with the General Policies and Sea Fisheries Policies as set out in the NMP. The data generated from using the technology on fishing vessels under 12 metres in length will provide a greater insight into where fishing operations take place and improve the evidence base on which decisions are taken by the Scottish Government and other relevant public authorities.