Scottish Green Party News

Mark Ruskell MSP, Environment spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, has challenged Scottish Ministers over a looming export ban on farmed fish which could cost the Scottish economy £200million a year.

The United States now requires proof that seafood imports are harvested in a way that minimises harm to marine mammals including seals.

During Questions at Holyrood, Mark Ruskell raised the issue with Environment Secretary Roseannah Cunningham, who confirmed that the industry has until 2022 to comply.

Mark said:

“The Scottish Government has irresponsibly allowed a US import ban on Scottish fisheries to be set in train that could cost over £200m a year to the farmed salmon sector alone. The choice is clear: either the Scottish Government does the responsible thing and bins the laws that allow the killing of seals in Scotland by fish farm operators and fishermen, or it lobbies Trump’s administration to weaken US environmental laws that protect marine mammals.

“The killing of seals is completely unnecessary and most people find it abhorrent that this practice still occurs in the 21st century. It is perfectly possible to prevent seals from attempting to eat farmed fish through deterrents rather than the bullet.”

Meanwhile the decision to sell the Green Investment Bank to a company that has invested billions of pounds in fossil fuel projects has been criticised by another Green MSP.

Australian bank Macquarie has a history of investing in fracking and opencast coal mining projects and Green MSP Andy Wightman says that GIB’s environmental credentials are “now in tatters”.

Wightman, who has been campaigning to keep the bank open in Edinburgh, is requesting a meeting with GIB’s chairman to seek guarantees that the bank will remain true to its Green credentials. Lothian MSP Andy said:

“The green credentials of the supposed Green Investment Bank are now in tatters. Why would the new owners allow for genuine green investments to be made if they are going to impact on the profitability of the company’s previous investments? I don’t expect the public to fully trust that GIB will make the right investments in renewables project that could eventually make fossil fuel methods redundant.

“As an MSP for the capital, I’m pleased that jobs will remain in the city. Edinburgh has a proud history of financial prudence, which has been inappropriately rocked in recent times by unscrupulous banking practices. With this sale I hope to see it return to responsible lending and investing that will be carried out with the due diligence that consumers expect.”