Planning Scotland's Seas: Sectoral Marine Plans for Offshore Wind, Wave and Tidal Energy in Scottish Waters. Consultation Analysis Report.

Appendix 4: Campaign Text Regarding OWSW1/ TSW1

• Munitions dumping on the sea bed has taken place from WW1 up till the 1970's. With wind and tide these munitions have drifted into the Solway and into Luce Bay. Disturbance of the munitions has been shown in the past to cause problems and puts coastal communities at risk.
• Any reduction in the numbers of tourists coming to this area will impact on job opportunities for locals. Since there are already approximately 38 wind farms built, consented or in planning in Wigtownshire this area will look like a giant power plant and will be less conducive as a holiday destination. In addition, the Mull of Galloway is now owned by the community and a reduction in the use of the holiday cottages will reduce investment in the local community. Also the sheltered waters of Luce Bay and the Mull of Galloway are used extensively for sea angling particularly charter fishing and the SSACN estimate that sea angling is worth about £25 million per year to the Solway area. The proposed development area is an important breeding ground for sharks, which use electromagnetic fields ( EMF) to navigate. If research is inconclusive then the precautionary principle should apply. Marine Scotland's SEA (2013) states that 'It is difficult to predict the precise impact of potential changes to amenity on recreational use of the area. Some displacement could be permanent leading to recreational activities being discontinued...' this is an area that can ill afford to lose income from tourism. Marine Scotland in 2010 published information indicating that in D&G the tourism spend was £143 million which has direct and indirect effects on employment.
• Much of the South Rhins coast is classified SSSI and should be protected.
• The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, cottages, wall, engine house and old byer ( RSPB building) are category 'A' listed buildings (Historic Scotland Building ID number13578). There are approximately 32 listed buildings on the S. Rhins/Luce Bay coast and a similar number on the Machars coast.
• The term 'Blue carbon' is relatively unknown, but its environmental importance is unrivalled. Blue carbon stores are natural carbon sinks that absorb and store millions of tonnes of carbon. Every day 22 million metric tonnes of CO2 (55% of all carbon in the atmosphere) is absorbed by the oceans. Blue Carbon ecosystems which include: sea grass meadows, kelp forests, salt-marshes, store up to 70% of the carbon permanently in the sea and Scottish waters are home to over 20% of all sea-grass meadows in north west Europe and much of this is in the Solwav Firth. Despite their importance around 2-7% of global blue carbon sinks are lost annually. The rate of loss is four times that of rainforests. Building massive turbines near such resources exacerbates the damage releasing huge amounts of CO2.
• Luce Bay is an accredited Special Area of Conservation ( SAC) and contains habitats, animals or plants of European importance. Marine Scotland's first draft plan took the sub-sea cable ashore at the northern most part of the Bay requiring a sub-sea plough tearing up the sea bed and the construction of large pylons and substations. Luce bay is important because of its dune, shore and seabed habitats. The SAC is an intricate mosaic of mud and sandy sediments with sandbanks, reefs and boulders supporting a wide variety of plants and animals.
• The Scare Rocks is a registered gannetry with 2,000 breeding pairs. Diving birds will be affected by underwater turbines.
• The Mull of Galloway is a RSPB reserve. There are rare species like the Manx Shearwater. Insects are attracted to wind turbines for unknown reasons but as a result bird strikes occur and this is causing conservationists considerable concern. Whilst this plan attempts to protect marine life with MPA's, sea birds are decreasing at an alarming rate around Scotland and there are no measures to protect them. The Mull of Galloway is the most important sea bird hot spot in the South West.
• Marine Scotland in 2011 when considering a wind farm in Wigtown Bay stated that there was 'the possibility of adverse economic impacts'. Developing Luce Bay is likely to have adverse effects on the local economy.