The Arran Community Marine Conservation Area, Scotland

Wed, Mar 19th 2008, 00:00

Arran Island in Scotland has seen one of the first community driven marine conservation projects launched in Europe.

The decline in fish and other marine life in Lamlash Bay, off Arran’s south east coast, has led to concern from many islanders. In its past, Arran was a popular fishing destination and the annual fish festival has been a fixture on the Arran social calendar. Fish that were once plentiful in the Firth of Clyde, fish like cod, haddock, hake, plaice and turbot are no longer to be found. The bed of the bay is barren and the population of scallops is also under severe pressure.

The Arran community decided to be proactive. Due to the collaboration of conservation and fishing interests on the island, Scotland has a newly promulgated Community Marine Conservation Area. This is the first time Marine Conservation regulations have been driven by grassroots participation.

The Community Marine Conservation regulations demarcate 267 hectares of the bay as a no-take zone. This will give fish stocks a chance to re-establish themselves in the bay. This will ensure the livelihood of Arran’s fishermen in the future and boost tourism. A further 660 hectares of the bay will be fished, but with close managed by Sea Fisheries.

With pressure on the world’s fish stocks and the decline in fishing industry world-wide, the community efforts of the Arran islanders are an inspiration for other coastal communities. It is time that they take the initiative in their own hands to ensure that their fish stocks are conserved for future generations.

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