Vision for sustainable aquaculture: island communities impact assessment

4. Step 4 Assessment

4.1 Does your assessment identify any unique impacts on island communities?

Demographic – The aging population of the islands may have an impact on recruitment to fill aquaculture vacancies. This challenge is similarly faced by rural Highland and Argyll and Bute areas where aquaculture also operates. Engagement with industry has indicated that businesses see opportunities for growth in island locations.

Economic - The Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture will not set out any presumptions as to where aquaculture development should take place. This is appropriately addressed by National, Regional and Local planning regimes and environmental regulation. The Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture will support sustainable aquaculture development across Scotland. We are aware of concerns from some parts of island communities about the potential impacts of further aquaculture development on the environment and other industries important to the islands such as fishing and tourism. The Vison introduces a number of outcomes relating to communities and is clear that the ability for communities to contribute meaningfully to development proposals should be protected and improved. The Vision also introduces outcomes relating to Environment and Biodiversity and Climate Change and Circular Economy to ensure that aquaculture plays its part in addressing and responding to the nature and climate crises and the Scottish Government’s priorities.

Gaelic – No anticipated unique impacts

Social – One of the key themes of the Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture is enhanced community benefit, which applies to communities across Scotland where aquaculture and its supply chain operates. The Vison details specific community based outcomes. Communities that host aquaculture should benefit, not just through induced benefits such as employment, but through improvements in how statutory and voluntary financial benefits are passed on to communities and their flexibility to determine how that resource is best used. The Vision also aims to achieve improved engagement with communities on development proposals and indicates the intention to develop good practice principles for community benefits.

4.2 Does your assessment identify any potential barriers or wider impacts?

Development of aquaculture in island locations faces a number of challenges, some of which are consistent with mainland aquaculture areas, including; instances of local opposition to further development due to perceived impacts on the local environment, tourism and access to fishing grounds; aquaculture skills development and labour supply and housing supply impacting on recruitment and digital connectivity.

Impacts unique to island communities includes transport, such as freight capacity on ferries, ferry timetables and operation.

The Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture will endorse changes to aquaculture seabed lease charges announced by Crown Estate Scotland, which included withdrawal of a discount in charges for some island sites (the ‘Outer Isles Discount’). This policy change was itself subject to an ICIA.

4.3 Are there mitigations already in place for these impacts raised?

The team has engaged with relevant Scottish Government policy leads dealing with issues detailed above. The Vison makes the link to relevant Scottish Government strategies which seek to address the aforementioned issues which can impact on aquaculture, broader businesses and island communities, and outlines the plans in place to address them.