A fisherman calling for a ban on boats trawling and dredging in inshore waters has said the move is needed so Scotland can achieve “good environmental status”.
Alistair “Bally” Philip, the national co-ordinator of the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation, brought a petition calling for the return of inshore limits on dredging and trawl fishing gear.
He addressed the issue with MSPs on the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee as a new poll revealed more than half (56%) of Scots would back a ban on fishing boats dragging nets along the seabed in Scotland’s near inshore zone – which covers the waters up to three nautical miles from the shore.
