Plans for giant floating wind farms in Scotland threaten to destroy the country’s fishing sector, the leader of an industry body has warned.
The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) said despite efforts to find a solution to the problem, mobile fishing and floating offshore wind farms “are simply not able to co-exist”.
Speaking at the SFF’s annual dinner in Edinburgh – which was attended by First Minister John Swinney – Elspeth Macdonald said the renewable projects are an existential threat to jobs in the sector.
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She warned the Scottish Government about “sleep-walking” into supporting an industry that she claimed could “destroy our world-class food production”.
She told the audience at the Scotsman Hotel: “Our businesses will be completely excluded from areas that have been fished for generations, and the consequences of that – on businesses, on people, on the environment – are simply not known.
“The Government risks sleepwalking into a scenario where the ambition to lead the world on floating offshore wind means that it decimates or destroys our world-class food production.”
Ms Macdonald said while talks with the Scottish Government have improved since the Bute House Agreement between the SNP and Greens ended, ministers must also do things differently.
She said the country needs “pragmatic policies that recognise and reflect the imperfect world we operate in, not red tape that ties both us and Government in knots”.
She added: “There have been very many meetings and very many words but we now need action – action from Government to support and protect our sector, because be in no doubt, it is a very serious risk from the planned expansion of floating offshore wind.”
Scotland became the home to the world’s first floating wind farm off the coast of Peterhead in Aberdeenshire in 2017.
The technology allows wind turbines to be installed further offshore in much deeper waters.
There are plans under way to build one of the largest offshore floating wind farms in the world 52 miles (84km) off Scotland’s east coast.
The 858 square km Ossian project, a joint venture between SSE Renewables, Marubeni Corporation and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, could produce enough energy to power up to six million homes each year, according to developers.
Ms Macdonald said she understands that a transition to renewable energy is needed.
“But we also need to eat,” she said. “We know that fishing is far more efficient in terms of greenhouse gas emissions than nearly all other forms of food production.
“We understand the ambitions of governments north and south of the border for reaching net zero goals through investment in renewables that will support jobs and growth, but that must not be to the detriment of our long-standing and world-class fishing industry.”
She said floating windfarms remain one of the biggest challenges facing fishermen.
She said the industry wants to see the Scottish Government “put its shoulder to the wheel in doing everything that it can to make sure our industry is not an accidental casualty of floating offshore wind”.
Colin Palmer, director of offshore at Scottish Renewables, said: “The growth of offshore wind power in Scottish waters is essential if we are to tackle climate change and meet Scotland’s and the UK’s legal obligations on reducing carbon emissions.
“The renewable energy industry recognises the importance of the fishing sector in Scotland and spends a lot of time working closely with this community.
“We are determined to continue engaging with all key stakeholders, including the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and the Scottish Government, to help ensure both industries can thrive alongside each other.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “A just transition must be at the heart of Scotland’s journey to net zero.
“We fully understand the need to balance the growth of the offshore renewables sector and protection for the marine environment, with continued investment in Scotland’s seafood and wider marine sectors and the communities and jobs which rely on them.
“As we progress with our marine plans, we will need to make the right choices about how to develop and use Scotland’s marine space sustainably, we will continue to engage closely with the fishing industry as we make those decisions.”
