I’ve attached a link to the Scottish Government’s Marine plan that will be the central to their plans for 2015. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0046/00465865.pdf
With changes afoot in Scotlands Wild Fisheries and further increase in Aquaculture and off shore renewables, this weighty document makes interesting reading. Chapter 8 is dedicated to Wild Salmon and diadromous fish.
I’ve attached an map from the document that details where the priority areas for aquaculture development are likely to be in future. Category 3 developments are most likely to be supported (in green). fortunately in the Firth of Clyde, our coastline is largely unsuitable for marine aquaculture but it is still concerning that we are suffering declines in stocks too along with the rest of the West Coast rivers.
Guidance on new marine aquaculture locations
Within the same document, the plan highlights options for future marine renewable development. Once again, it raises my concerns over the siting of these developments on headlands that may be on the routes that our salmon take as smolts or on their way back to our rivers. These are just options and I noted elsewhere within the document that more work was required to establish migratory routes for salmon. Lets hope the Government do things in the right order!
Renewable energy options for the marine environment
