I LIVED for many years in the Northern Isles where I knew many whose lives were inextricably linked with the fishing industry.

A pelagic trawlerman once told me that fishermen are the last true hunters in our modern world. It is this extractive aspect of commercial fishing that is so problematic. While much progressive work is being done, for example with the management of lobster populations in Orkney, overfishing is causing devastation in a range of species.

The fishing of sand eels is thought to be a significant factor in the collapse of puffin populations, and a range of fish species in Scotland’s waters. “Think of it as stripping all the grass from a field full of cattle and expecting the cows to survive,” one fisherman told me.

The latest Scottish Government document in the Building a New Scotland series was launched by Mairi Gougeon, MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, last month.

It sets out the prospects for “Our Marine Sector in an Independent Scotland”.

It paints an optimistic picture. Scotland’s seas are vast and rich. We have a long and important cultural connection to the sea. Work is being done to chart a course in which the sector can survive and thrive and yet be sustainable with increased biodiversity off our shores.

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“Scotland’s seas are an estimated 617,643 square kilometres (238,473 square miles) – an area around two-and-a-half times the land area of the UK,” the report says. “Scotland has a marine economy that generated £5 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2019 – of which £1.88bn was generated by fishing, aquaculture, processing and marine tourism – accounting for 3.4% of the overall Scottish economy and providing employment for 75,490 people.”

Despite the challenges of Brexit, Peterhead still is the largest whitefish port in Europe. It is thought that 80% of the Scotland’s famous langoustines are sold through the town, “frozen live for maximum freshness [..] only four hours between seabed and final product,” according to the Peterhead Port Authority website.

This last line speaks of an issue which, I suspect, few think about – the process by which the seafood on our plates reaches our tables. Some, like the langoustines, are chilled or frozen while alive. As well as keeping eating quality and freshness, this is considered to be a humane technique. Most of the fish caught by trawlers are not so lucky.

I remember when square mesh panels were introduced to seine nets as a conservation measure. When fish are caught in a diamond mesh net, the diamonds flatten as the net tightens, meaning smaller and juvenile fish can’t escape. The square mesh, when placed correctly on the upper side of the net, keeps its shape, allowing fish to exit.

As the net is drawn on to the boat, some fish will die from the suffocation, which occurs when fish are pulled backwards through water, with others by being crushed. If they are chilled, the survivors will slowly suffocate on the ice. If they are being processed on the boat, the fish are gutted alive, their desperate thrashing as they gasp for air only stopping once their heart is removed. It is the last organ the knife reaches.

Looking at aquaculture, Scotland’s salmon fisheries are important not only to our economy but to coastal communities, providing employment and opportunities.

The report says Scotland has “the third-largest salmon aquaculture industry worldwide – www.gov.scot/publications/building-new-scotland-marine-sector-independent-scotland/pages/12/ – with Scottish-farmed Atlantic salmon being the UK’s biggest single food export in 2022 a having sectoral turnover of £1.5bn in 2018. Scotland accounted for approximately 93% of EU plus UK (“EU28”) Atlantic salmon production in 2021.”

Scottish salmon is world-famous, but there are ongoing concerns about the environmental impact of the sector and about the animal welfare of the creatures in the cages.

Sea lice cause devastating injuries as they literally eat the fish alive. Attracted in large numbers to fish farms, they go on to attack wild fish, including salmon and trout, as they migrate to breed in the rivers.

While there is growing use of “cleaner fish” in salmon farms to keep the numbers of sea lice down, an Orkney fisherman – one of the many who dive to catch shellfish by hand rather than using the destructive dredges – told me he sees “dead zones” when storms or tides push the pesticide-laden waters from salmon farms to the seabed he fishes.

There was shock recently when the Scottish salmon farming industry lodged a request with Defra, the Westminster department which controls Protected Geographic Indicator (PGI) status, asking them to change the wording of the Scottish Farmed Salmon label to “Scottish Salmon”.

The back of the packaging would still say it was farmed, but there is serious concern that, if allowed by the UK Government, this change could lead to confusion, with people having the impression the salmon they were buying once swam free. Clear and honest labels matter.

This Scottish Government document is worth a read. It sets out the case for an independent Scotland as a member state in the European Union with clarity and a wealth of sources.

There is much being done now to support Scotland’s marine environment. There are many responsible boats out there. I would hope that, as we build a better Scotland, we not only work to deliver fantastic Scottish seafood, but that we find ways to ensure the creatures on our plates have died with as little distress as is possible.

Ruth Watson is the founder of the Keep Scotland the Brand campaign