Increasing Capacity for Nature Protection in Scotland's Seas

That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the importance of responding to the nature crisis; welcomes the Scottish Government’s consultation to develop a new network of Highly Protected Marine Areas in Scottish waters; considers that the seas are the last great commons, which also provide private benefit to Scottish fishers; believes that well-resourced and effective enforcement of marine protection and fisheries management regulations is essential to protect nature and support the law-abiding majority of Scotland’s fishing fleet; further believes that concerns have been raised by stakeholder organisations including Coastal Communities Network, Open Seas and the Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust (SIFT) that fixed penalty notices and fines are generally not high enough to deter illegal fishing and incursions into marine protected areas (MPAs); understands that only two fines have been issued by the Scottish courts for illegal fishing in a protected area since January 2019, the latest one being just £3,200 for dredging in the Wester Ross MPA; notes the recommendations from SIFT in its October 2021 publication Fisheries enforcement - opportunities for reform, which, it understands, call for a review the scale of fixed penalties set under the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2007 and the development of sentencing guidelines relating to fisheries offences to ensure that financial penalties reflect what it sees as the seriousness of the offences, considering damage done to the seabed, fish stocks, biodiversity, the Scottish economy and natural wealth, and believes that any revenue from higher financial penalties could help increase resources and capacity for Marine Scotland Compliance, so it can ensure that our seas benefit from higher protection.