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This week it was announced that the UK will be having a tribunal hearing against the EU in relation to sandeel fishing. While it may seem a bit obscure, sand eels play a big part in our local eco system here in North East Fife.
The Isle of May, just a short ride from Anstruther Pier, is home to over 100,000 puffins and kittiwake birds, both of which rely on sand eels as a major part of their diet. Due to the historic practice of the industrial fishing of sandeels in the North Sea, puffins and kittiwake populations quickly dwindled and both are now considered endangered in the UK.
A ban on industrial sandeel fishing, which was primarily carried out by EU vessels, was put in place by both the Scottish Government and the last UK Government and allowed the wild bird population to begin recovering. Banning sandeel fishing in Scotland has been identified as a key means of supporting the recovery of seabirds. Continued pressure on sandeel numbers and food in the Greater North Sea area means further protective measures like this wider ban are essential.
At the end of last year however, the EU appealed the ban. As a result, I asked the Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the new Government would commit to defending the ban on the industrial fishing of sand eels. The Government were adamant that they would keep the ban in place, so following the news of the tribunal, I wrote to them again urging the Government to keep their position and asking for an update on their position.
The wild sea birds on the Isle of May are also a source of tourism for North East Fife, with over 180 trips to the island each year for people to see the incredible wildlife. I was lucky enough to take a trip there myself in August last year with local MSP Willie Rennie, who has also campaigned on this issue. We joined a number of visitors then and we can say for certain that it really is spectacular.
I hope that the ban will remain in place because committing to it, despite the arising pressure, means that we’re giving our wildlife the best chance at thriving.
Helen McLachlan, head of marine policy for RSPB Scotland, said:
“We have seen devastating declines in the overall status of the UK’s breeding seabirds, with more species now at the highest level of conservation concern than ever before.
“The closure is the single greatest measure that can support the recovery of much-loved birds like Puffins and Kittiwakes, as well as marine mammals and fish that rely on sandeels for food.
“The UK and Scottish governments have thrown their weight behind keeping the closure in place and it’s time the EU put its own obligations to restore the marine environment ahead of bowing to industry pressure.”