Orkney and Shetland Area Advisory Group Shetland working group

Transcription

1 25 April Shetland AAG Orkney and Shetland Area Advisory Group Shetland working group Present: Chris Matthews Eilidh Johnston Alec Miller Kelda Hudson Jonathan Swale Martin Holmes Jim Anderson Jonathan Duncan Steve McFarland Ruth Henderson Paul Griffiths Suzanne Shearer Colin Anderson Pete Ellis Jacqueline Tweddle Apologies: Mary Cowie Lorraine Gray David Sandison Minutes of Meeting on 25 April SEPA (Unit Manager, Shetland) SEPA (River Basin Planning Co-ordinator) Shetland Anglers Association Scottish Natural Heritage Integrated Coastal Zone Management Scottish Water SEPA (Flood Risk Manager, North Scotland) Shetland Shellfish Growers Association SEPA RSPB North Atlantic Fisheries College BP at Sullom Voe SSMEI Shetland Aquaculture No. ITEM 1 Welcome and Introductions CM welcomed everyone to the meeting. JT was attending her first meeting, and introductions were made. Apologies were noted as above. Minutes from last meeting were agreed as accurate, and an update on actions was given as follows: Action from previous meeting By When Update 1 Provide information on LNCS review for AAG members KH / Verbal update given by KH. Closed. 2 Consider next steps regarding the list of fish barriers in Shetland. AM / February List circulated, further discussion needed to prioritise. Carry forward. 3 Organise briefing seminar for SIC committees KH / SS / April No progress. Carry forward. 4 Clarify INNS responsibilities relating Closed - Info sent with minutes Shetland 0425 Minutes 1

2 25 April Shetland AAG to coastal waters 5 Update contact records for Martin Holmes and other list members, and send Shellfish Water presentations to Martin Holmes. / JD Closed records updated 6 Provide further information on the restoration strategy as it develops, and update JA on implications for redundant assets. February No significant updates, but redundant assets likely to be treated as assets in use, and managed through CAR. Closed. 7 Copy the briefing note on FLAGs to JD Closed. 8 to review AAG membership and reengage with these sectors. Report progress at April Farming rep, Association of Shetland Community Councils contacted. ASCC will nominate a rep for next meeting. Meeting held with Lerwick Port Authority to re-engage. New action: Group advised that should contact Roger Moore, Chief Harbourmaster, re replacement for Barry Edwards. 2 RBMP Update (Paper 2) 3 outlined the content of Paper 2, and gave a brief update on national work. The group were reminded of key RBMP targets for Shetland, and it was highlighted that good progress was being made on these targets. There was some discussion over whether Restoration Funding could be applied to making road bridges passable for fish. confirmed that this fund cannot be used for restoring council road bridges, as the council has a duty to maintain these assets in a way which delivers RBMP objectives. Classification update PG gave a presentation (attached for information) on the status of Shetland waterbodies, showing data from 2009, 2010 and draft data for. This highlighted the following issues: Coastal waters: imposex results show an improvement. However, seaweed survey results have led to a downgrading of some high status water bodies. Lochs: Spiggie shows improved phosphorous results, further monitoring needed at Loch of Cliff. Groundwater: only quantitative data has been reviewed for. PG also highlighted that classification data is now available for 2010 on Scotland s Shetland 0425 Minutes 2

3 25 April Shetland AAG Environment Web and the AAG webpages. He mentioned that UK classification standards are currently being reviewed, and that a consultation is underway. Action: to circulate links for Scotland s Environment Web, and the 2009 and 2010 classification results. 3 Delivering improvements to the water environment gave brief updates on the two task groups currently delivering AAG tasks. The Small Water Bodies group met in, and has since shared some lists of priorities for lochs and burns, and a proforma for prioritising these water bodies. There is a need to hold another group meeting to develop this work. CM recommended that a draft Orkney datasheet should be shared with the group, and offered to attend a meeting. The Spiggie Loch group had met in March, with good attendance from all partners. However, AM noted that it was difficult to determine a way forward without more data on the source of diffuse pollution. and PG reported that SEPA is now starting a bacterial source tracking project on the loch. The group will re-convene once results are available. Action: Share Orkney datasheet example with Small Water Bodies group, hold meeting and invite CM. Action: Provide interim updates on Spiggie Loch bacterial source tracking project for task group and AAG. Action: Prepare briefings on these task groups for next AAG. CM asked the group members to give updates on any work they are currently involved in which improves Shetland s water environment. He also asked for feedback on funding opportunities. PE noted that Sandwick Community Council is aiming to install fish ladders on road bridges, with funding from SIC. Awaiting CAR license. SS reported that the Shetland Local Development Plan is on target to publish its next draft in Autumn. JS reported that there had been few Rural Priorities applications on improving water quality, but that there was potential for collaborative applications. CM highlighted that the Northern Isles RPAC has included an emphasis on the water environment, and mentions small water bodies. AM noted that there has been recent interest in a small scale hydro development at Laxobigging. JT gave an update on behalf of Lorraine Gray. She noted that Lorraine will be leaving her post in June, but that a replacement is being recruited to work on the Marine Spatial Plan. In addition, 2 posts have been recruited to look at non-native species and locational guidelines for renewables. Shetland 0425 Minutes 3

4 25 April Shetland AAG 4 5 Marine non-native species in Shetland project update JT gave an update on her work with NAFC Marine Centre. She will be surveying ports and marinas around Shetland, and her work will also have a public involvement phase, including awareness raising materials for marinas. The group commented on the need to liaise with SOTEAG regarding their sampling data around Sullom Voe. JD and RH recommended that shellfish shore bases should be sampled. RH suggested that Axis 4 of the European Fisheries Fund (aimed at community benefit projects) could be used to support this project. Action: RH to provide information on funding. Flooding update SM gave an update on flood risk management and progress towards setting up local groups (copy attached with minutes for reference). He advised that the first meeting of the Shetland local advisory group would be held in autumn alongside the AAG meeting, with annual spring meetings thereafter. An update bulletin would be produced to cover the periods between meetings. 7 Scotland s Environment Web - introduction introduced Scotland s Environment Web, which aims to provide a single data portal about Scotland s environment, with an interactive map, search facility and library of resources. The web address is She asked the group about information that the would like to see on this website. The group noted that the website is difficult to find, and does not come up easily on Google searches. They asked if it linked with the Marine Atlas (yes) and biosecurity issues (some information on website, but no direct link to biosecurity plans yet). Action: to feed back this response to SE Web staff. 8 Any other business and date of next meeting The date of the next meeting was set as Thursday 1 in Lerwick. Summary of action points Action By When Update 1 Consider next steps regarding the list of fish barriers in Shetland. AM / October 2 Organise briefing seminar for SIC committees 3 Contact Roger Moore, Chief Harbourmaster, re replacement for KH / SS / By October Shetland 0425 Minutes 4

5 25 April Shetland AAG Barry Edwards, continue to liaise with NFU, ASCC. 4 Circulate links for Scotland s Environment Web, and the 2009 and 2010 classification results. 5 Share Orkney datasheet example with Small Water Bodies group, hold meeting and invite CM. 6 Provide interim updates on Spiggie Loch bacterial source tracking project for task group and AAG. Asap Click here for links:, AM, JS, KH, PE Before Scotland s Environment Web Orkney and Shetland 2009, 2010 results (click on links at right hand side of screen for spreadsheets and maps). As required Update provided to task group August. 7 Prepare briefings on task groups for next AAG. 8 Provide information on European fisheries funding. 9 Feed back AAG comments to SE Web staff. RH By October See link for more info. Asap Completed. eases//01/ Shetland 0425 Minutes 5