OWD-Estimation Of Cumulative Spatial Restrictions To Commercial Fishing In Scottish Waters

Description

The Scottish Government invites a tender from a suitable contractor to develop a quantified understanding of the potential cumulative displacement and spatial mapping of the cumulative spatial restrictions to commercial fishing in Scottish waters plus a case study exploring cumulative displacement from spatial restrictions for the commercial fishing sector. This work is intended to provide an evidence base to inform any future marine planning and policy decisions which may impact upon the fishing sector and will focus on activities within Scottish waters. The Scottish offshore wind sector’s recent growth has impacted other marine sectors and users, including the fishing industry. Understanding the scale of this impact to date and in the future is crucial for effective policy making. When combined with the development of other industries and infrastructure (such as cables, aquaculture, and other marine energy sectors including oil and gas) and the introduction of other spatial restrictions (such as fisheries management measures within Marine Protected Areas), potential impacts to the fishing sector increase further. Lot 1: Please see the following list which sets out the sectors within scope of this project: - Fixed bottom Offshore Wind Development - Floating Offshore Wind Development - Marine Renewable Developments - Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Priority Marine Features (PMF) - Offshore Marine Protected Areas and Vulnerable Marine Features (VMF)/Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VME) - Cabling - Aquaculture - Oil & Gas - Defence - Other e.g. Carbon capture and storage etc. To better understand and consider the pressures of the above sectors on the fishing industry, the Scottish Government requires a quantified understanding of: - An overview of all known cumulative spatial restrictions relating to the activities and what these restrictions mean by different fishing gear. This will include spatial restrictions already in place, operating in practice, and legislated as of 31 December 2025. - In addition, three future scenarios exploring planned and anticipated spatial restrictions, each with estimates of cumulative spatial extent of Scottish waters subject to restrictions by fishing gear. This will include spatial mapping of each future scenario as agreed with the Project Steering Group (PSG). - Mapping the spatial extent of all commercial fishing activity, by gear type, and vessel nationality, within Scottish waters, including non-UK vessels fishing in Scottish waters and by both tonnage and value (as reasonably practical). This notice is without commitment and the scope of the project may change.