“Clear and present danger” to viability of fishing – Carmichael calls for action on spatial squeeze

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has warned the government that the “critical mass” of the fishing industry risks being lost due to spatial squeeze on fishing grounds. Leading a debate on the fishing industry on Thursday, the isles MP noted that while “no single demand is unreasonable” from other users of the seabed, such as telecoms cables and energy interests, fishing interests often lose out due to a lack of a balanced approach from government.

Speaking in the House, Mr Carmichael said:

“Speaking to fishermen around the country, the same issue rears its head time and again: spatial squeeze. The salami slicing of access to traditional fishing grounds as a result of other marine and maritime activities now poses a clear and present danger to the viability of our fishing industries as a whole.

“On spatial squeeze, no single demand is unreasonable: the development of offshore renewable energy, aquaculture, marine protected areas, the laying of cables and pipelines, the use of the sea for leisure and doubtless other purposes —the list goes on. At every turn of the wheel, it is fishing effort that is reduced to accommodate something else. The root cause of the problem is that no one holds the ring to look at the whole picture of how our seas are being used.

“The House should be in no doubt that if the spatial squeeze on our fishing industry is allowed to continue, we shall soon risk losing its critical mass as a productive industry—that is true in all four parts of the United Kingdom. Once that critical mass is lost, we may never recover it. For the families and communities affected, that would be catastrophic. Fishing families are hard-working and economically productive people. Take away their ability to earn a living at sea, and they will not just sit idle; they will doubtless move with heavy hearts to do something else, somewhere else. That will forever change the nature and character of our coastal and island communities, and not in a good way. I hope that the Government will hear the warning and act before it is too late.”

Responding to the debate, the Fisheries Minister Angela Eagle MP said:

“There is increasing competition for marine space. Our marine spatial prioritisation programme helps to mitigate that, and I thank industry leaders for the data they have shared and contributed to, which has hugely improved the programme’s insights into this key challenge.”