Order. Our only item of business today is a Stage 1 debate on SB236, in the name of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. The question is whether this Parliament approves the general principles of the Harmful Fishing Practices (Scotland) Bill.

Harmful Fishing Practices (Scotland) Bill

An Act of the Scottish Parliament to ban the catching of marine organisms using the harmful practices of trawling, long-line fishing, drift-netting, and gillnets in marine protected waters.

Section 1: Ban on Trawling

(1) The use of trawling in marine protected Scottish waters is hereby banned. It shall be an offense to use any type of trawl net, including bottom trawls, mid-water trawls, and pelagic trawls, to catch fish or any other marine organisms.

(2) It is an offence for any fishing vessel to be equipped with equipment that facilitates trawling.

(3) The offence shall not include drift-netting fishing carried out with the duties of research.

Section 2: Ban on Long-Line Fishing

(1) The use of long-line fishing in marine protected Scottish waters is hereby banned. It shall be an offense to use any type of long-line fishing gear, including hooks and lines, to catch fish or any other marine organisms.

(2) It is an offence for any fishing vessel to be equipped with equipment that facilitates long-line fishing.

(3) The offence shall not include long-line fishing carried out with the duties of research.

Section 3: Ban on Drift-Netting

(1) The use of drift-netting in marine protected Scottish waters is hereby banned. It shall be an offense to use any type of drift net, including driftnets made of monofilament, nylon, or any other material, to catch fish or any other marine organisms.

(2) It is an offence for any fishing vessel to be equipped with equipment that facilitates drift-netting fishing.

(3) The offence shall not include drift-netting fishing carried out with the duties of research.

Section 4: Ban on Gillnets

(1) The use of gillnets in marine protected Scottish waters is hereby banned. It shall be an offense to use any type of gillnet, including anchored gillnets and drift gillnets, to catch fish or any other marine organisms.

(2) It is an offence for any fishing vessel to be equipped with equipment that facilitates the use of gillnets in fishing.

(3) The offence shall not include gillnet fishing carried out with the duties of research.

Section 5: Enforcement & Penalties

(1) Any person(s) found guilty of violating the provisions of this Act shall be subject to fines no more than level 5 on the standard scale.

(2) Law enforcement and customs are to have the power to seize prohibited equipment outlined in this act where they reasonably believe it has been involved in the commission of an offence.

(3) This Act shall be enforced by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, the Scottish Fishery Protection Agency, the Marine Scotland Directorate and any other agency designated by the Scottish government.

Section 6: Commencement

(2) The provisions of this Act shall come into force in exactly one year following the day this Act is passed.

Section 7: Short Title

(1) This Act may be cited as the Harmful Fishing Practices (Scotland) Act.

This Bill was submitted by u/oakesofshott **Baroness of King’s Lynn on behalf of The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party. Based on the Pulse Fishing Ban (Scotland) Bill

Opening Speech:

Presiding Officer,

The fishing practices of trawling, long-line fishing, drift-netting, and gillnets are known to cause significant damage to the marine environment, and harm marine life such as fish, sharks, dolphins, whales, and turtles. Scotland has already taken important steps towards sustainable fishing practices by introducing bills such as the Pulsae Fishing Ban (Scotland) Bill but more action is needed to reduce the impact of destructive fishing practices on Scotland's marine environment which is why I have taken the foundation set to extend the ban to the use of an array of practices that harm our waters.

This debate will end with the close of business at 10pm BST on the 18th of September 2023.