Shetland fishermen issue new warning over offshore developments

The fishermen’s organisation says greater attention needs to be paid by planners and policy-makers to the impact in key nursery grounds for commercially important fish around Shetland’s coastline.

It follows a new study by the college UHI Shetland which has identified a series of shallow inshore areas where juvenile cod, haddock, whiting and plaice are prevalent but adult fish are absent.

The Norwegian salmon giant SalMar has already indicated that it is looking at a site close to Shetland rather than in Norwegian waters.

The association said the nursery habitats, characterised by depths of less than 50 metres  shelter from wave action and tides and sandy sediment, some of it covered by seaweed, are critical as data from the Shetland Inshore Fish Survey indicates that these growing fish move towards deeper commercial fishing grounds.

The key areas identified in the study by Louise Thomason and Dr Shaun Fraser include Weisdale Voe and Sandsound Voe to the south of the west mainland; Lunna and Dales Lees off the east mainland; and Cole Deep and Skeetlie (Aith Voe) to the north of the west mainland.

“The identification and conservation of nursery areas in the nearshore Shetland environment has clear commercial implications for the sustainability of local fish populations and the wider marine ecosystem,” it adds.

“Many of the identified areas are under unprecedented potential pressure due to large-scale energy projects and aquaculture proposals.”

They cite the consented Billy Baa project which would involve the consolidation of four existing salmon farms into a larger single development in the vicinity of the Sandsound Voe and Weisdale Voe nursery areas, as well as a similar proposal at Fish Holm close to Lunna and Dales Lees.

In addition, the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable laid in Weisdale Voe for the Viking Energy wind farm, as well as other large-scale onshore developments had implications for the nursery areas, not to mention the prospect of a second subsea HVDC link between Shetland and the Scottish mainland.

“These areas are critical to the future of commercial fishing, which is the lifeblood of the Shetland economy, producing highly nutritious and climate-smart food,” said association executive officer Daniel Lawson. 

“Both off- and onshore developments are already having an impact, and this vital study by UHI Shetland highlights just how important it is for planners and policy-makers to consider the longer-term, knock-on effects of such projects on young and developing fish populations.”