Shetland MSP and Scottish Liberal Democrat, Beatrice Wishart, has led the first fishing debate in Holyrood since 2022.
Securing a members debate slot Wishart highlighted the challenges facing Scotland’s Fishing Sector in 2025 touching on issues such as:
- spatial squeeze
- safety at sea
- the impact of the Scottish Economic Link Licence
- protecting family businesses for the future
- concerns about the level of resourcing provided to the Marine Directorate
Ms Wishart also paid tribute to the late Dr Ian Napier, Senior Fisheries Policy Adviser at UHI Shetland.
Wishart previously held the first debate about the controversial Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) proposals in 2023 that were later dropped by the SNP-Green Government.
During the debate Ms Wishart highlighted:
“Fishermen are custodians of our seas, stakeholders in its wellbeing and invested in a sustainable future.
“We have seen traditional fishing areas lost to at-sea infrastructure.
“From the discovery of North Sea oil and gas over 50 years ago, we now have a growing renewable energy sector with sites set to host vast swathes of offshore windfarms.
“Climate change is real; so too is spatial squeeze.
“Offshore wind cannot be at the expense of fishing.
“A transition is not just if it ends up squeezing the life out of viable fishing businesses.”
After the debate Ms Wishart said:
“There is so much that needs to be aired about the challenges and opportunities for the fishing sector.
“Almost every paragraph of my speech could have been a debate in itself.
“Our fishermen deserve the equal support of the Scottish Government’s eagerness to champion our world class seafood sector with action.
“I would like to see greater resource provided to the Marine Directorate to help achieve this.”
