HPMAs will be voted down, predicts SNP rebel
Former minister Ewing says more party MSPs are now worried about plan for no-go zones in the sea
The Scottish Government’s plan to make 10% of Scotland’s seas no-go zones for fishing and aquaculture will inevitably be defeated at Holyrood, SNP rebel Fergus Ewing has forecast.
The former rural economy secretary, who has championed Scotland’s salmon farming sector, is one of three Scottish National Party MSPs who have previously voted against their party’s proposal for Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs).
He believes more SNP MSPs and MPs now share his concerns that HPMAs could destroy rural coastal communities that rely on fishing, and in some areas on fish and shellfish farming, for jobs and income.
The proposal for 10% of Scotland’s seas to be designated as HPMAs by 2026 is the result of the Bute House Agreement between the SNP and the Scottish Green Party. The Greens have agreed to vote for the minority SNP administration’s legislation in the Scottish Parliament in return for influence over the government’s policy and two ministerial posts.
'Ridiculous proposals'
“The HPMA plans would have a devastating impact on our fishermen for no apparent reason and based on not a shred of evidence,” the Daily Mail reported Ewing as saying.
“They are the most ridiculous proposals I have come across and should be resisted.
“We should detach ourselves from the malign influence of the Greens, who have no place in any sensible government. They want to shut down most of our economy.
We should detach ourselves from the malign influence of the Greens, who have no place in any sensible government. They want to shut down most of our economy
Fergus Ewing
“There is, I believe, pretty much total opposition to HPMAs from all other parties and were a couple more rebels to emerge in the SNP ranks, and we all vote against the proposals, there would be a majority against them going ahead … it is inevitable that there will be such a vote in the autumn.”
Defections required
A motion by Conservative MSP Rachael Hamilton to block the HPMA process was defeated by 61 votes to 55 in the Scottish Parliament last month, despite three rural SNP MSPs – Ewing, Kate Forbes, and Alasdair Allan – voting for the motion. Three other SNP MSPs - Annabelle Ewing, Ash Regan, and Christine Grahame - abstained.
The SNP has 64 seats in the Scottish Parliament, the Greens have seven, and the opposition parties have 57.
If the SNP rebels and abstainers acted the same way as they did for Hamilton’s motion, the SNP/Greens would have a 65-60 majority in any future vote on HPMAs. If the abstainers sided with the rebels, and two more SNP MSPs switched sides, the HPMA plans could be halted.
The Mail reported that fishing leaders said that Banffshire and Buchan Coast SNP MSP Karen Adam, had expressed her support for a new campaign against HPMAs launched at Holyrood yesterday by fishers, fish farmers, and seafood processors.
Adam has previously expressed concerns about the potential impact of HPMAs on the fishing community but voted with the SNP against Hamilton’s motion in May.
