Scotland’s fishing industry has welcomed strong backing from the Scottish Parliament for the principle that fishermen should not be left to bear financial losses caused by offshore wind development.
MSPs voted on Wednesday to support an amendment to the Parliament's debate on Supporting Scotland's Fishing Industry stating that fishermen should be protected from, or compensated for, financial losses caused by offshore wind farms expanding into long-established fishing grounds.
The Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) said the vote represented an important recognition of one of the greatest challenges facing the industry as competition for Scotland's increasingly crowded seas intensifies.
SFF has consistently warned of a growing "spatial squeeze", with fishing grounds being lost or restricted by offshore renewable energy development alongside conservation measures and other demands on marine space.
While the parliamentary vote is not legally binding, SFF said it established a clear political principle which must now be translated into practical action by the Scottish Government and developers.
SFF chief executive Elspeth Macdonald said: "This is a significant moment because the Scottish Parliament has recognised a very simple principle: fishermen should not be expected to carry the financial cost when established fishing grounds are lost or restricted by offshore wind development.
"Fishing has taken place in these waters for generations. Our industry supports jobs and businesses throughout Scotland's coastal communities and provides a renewable, nutritious source of food.
"We support the transition to renewable energy, but that transition has to be fair. It cannot mean building one industry at the expense of another.
"Where impacts on fishing can be avoided, they should be. Where they cannot be avoided, the businesses affected must be properly compensated.
"Parliament has now backed that principle. The next step must be to turn it into a fair, transparent and workable compensation framework."
The parliamentary decision reflects strong public support for the fishing industry's position.
Recent national polling carried out for SFF found that 79% of respondents supported requiring energy companies to pay fair compensation where offshore wind developments restrict fishing grounds or cause financial loss.
The same research found that 65% supported a temporary pause on further offshore wind approvals until the impacts on fishermen had been fully assessed and compensation arrangements agreed.
Earlier polling for SFF also found that 86% of voters agreed that food production from Scotland's seas is as important as energy production and that fishing should be protected as competition for marine space increases.
The Federation has called for a moratorium on further offshore wind consents until the impacts on fishing are properly addressed, including workable arrangements for financial compensation where businesses suffer losses.
Ms Macdonald added: "The public understands this and now the Parliament has recognised it too.
"Nobody is arguing that Scotland should not develop renewable energy. What we are saying is that fishermen cannot simply be displaced from productive grounds and expected to absorb the economic consequences.
"This vote should mark the point at which we move beyond debating whether compensation is justified and start working seriously on how it will operate.
"We look forward to working with the Scottish Government and the offshore wind industry to make that happen."