Arran seabed restoration championed by David Attenborough
Don MacNeish and Howard Wood have almost a century of recreational diving experience between them so when they saw the seabed off the Isle of Arran being destroyed they took action.
The pair spent years convincing the Scottish government to create Scotland's first "no take zone" in Lamlash Bay which halted all forms of fishing.
As world leaders gather in the south of France for the UN Oceans Conference, their story is being showcased as a prime example of how the seas can be protected.
Don has featured in the latest David Attenborough film, Ocean, which was released to coincide with the summit.
The destruction the pair witnessed was being caused by bottom trawling and dredging which involves dragging heavy equipment or nets along the seabed to scoop up the catch.
The "no take zone" - introduced in 2008 - banned all forms of fishing within an area of one square mile.
Seventeen years on and the zone, along with the Marine Protected Area (MPA) surrounding it, has naturally restored to create a nursery ground for young fish and marine life.
Lobster populations have quadrupled while the number of king scallops has increased six fold.
But it could take two centuries for it to become the complex, balanced ecosystem it once was.
A focus of the UN Oceans Conference is expected to be the environmental damage caused by bottom trawling and dredging.
"Because we were part of the first divers that went down to the sea bed round about Arran, we started to see the damage that was being caused and realised that unless we can bring up these images, people wouldn't understand," Don said.
Howard added: "There was the odd star fish left but basically the whole sea bed was just raked away."
The pair said they originally gathered together local fishermen in a pub and asked them which area of the sea would inconvenience them the least if it were to be closed off.
They pointed to Lamlash Bay between Arran and Holy Isle.
There followed a years' long battle with politicians and civil servants before the protected area was finally created.
A Marine Protected Area was later added, covering the waters around south Arran which restricted some, but not all, forms of fishing.
Don, who is 78, has an engineering background and first began diving in the early 1980s while Howard, a 70-year-old horticulturalist, first dived in 1974.
In the film Ocean with David Attenborough, Don delivers powerful testimony of how he had witnessed alarming changes to the seabed since the three-mile limit was scrapped in 1984.
The limit banned inshore dredging and trawling and many creel fishermen would like to see it return.
Creel fishing involves baited traps being left on the seabed which are usually collected a few days later.
It is considered to be a "low impact" method compared with bottom trawling and dredging.
The Scottish Fishermen's Federation has said these methods are only damaging if they are carried out "in the wrong place" and that Scotland's waters are already heavily managed.
It added that dredging and trawling were "really efficient methods of producing food" and that the right balance needed to be struck between food production and protection of the seas.
But conservationists have long argued that many MPAs do not offer any protection at all against damaging fishing.
Don says David Attenborough's film is "absolutely crucial" in highlighting the damage caused to the seabed by some forms of fishing.
He wants people to start taking personal responsibility for what they eat and says small pockets of nature need to be allowed to reproduce to seed wider areas.
Howard added that there needed to be "proper" protection of the seas - banning damaging fishing methods.
The men are backing a call from the Our Seas coalition to ban bottom trawling and dredging in 30% of Scotland's inshore water.
Although the pair don't dive as much as they used to, both revisited the "no take zone" together a couple of years ago to see what progress was being made.
Don said: "I just couldn't believe the regeneration that had happened and I was just swimming along with a demand valve in my mouth and a huge smile on my face. This is what it was all about.
"I'm all for fishing, but not necessarily everywhere. We just need small pockets of protection to be able to reseed the entire area."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Community hub proposed for new Thurso High School
Thurso's proposed £100m high school could sit alongside other services as part of a new community hub in the Caithness town. Highland Council has made a commitment in its Highland Investment Plan to replace the existing 1960s-era building. Councillors meeting next week will be asked to agree that the new campus be part of a wider community "point of delivery". The local authority's potential partners in the project include, NHS Highland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the operators of the nearby Dounreay nuclear power station. More stories from the Highlands and Islands News from the Highlands and Islands on BBC Sounds Councillors will also be asked to approve a public drop-in event on the plans be held over the summer. In a report, officers described the new school as a "generational opportunity" to invest in critical infrastructure, and improve the quality of facilities for local families. Thurso High School is one of the largest schools in Caithness and has a roll of 750 pupils. In 2022, part of the site was closed off after concerns about the structure. Highland Council
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Tots end a busy year on a high with visits and a graduation for those starting school
TOTS at a Greenock children's centre are enjoying an extra busy time as they gear up for summer. Youngsters at Glenbrae Children's Centre enjoyed visits from firefighters, paramedics and the team from ZooLab. And this week the Glenbrae team also held a graduation ceremony for children who will be heading to primary school after the summer holidays. (Image: George Munro) (Image: George Munro) (Image: George Munro) (Image: George Munro) Craig Scott, head of centre, said: "Last wee and this week we are trying to round off the year with celebrations and events to mark a very busy year. "Last week we had visits from firefighters and paramedics and ZooLab, who brought some animals into the centre, and Boogie Bugs as part of our summer fun week. "We listen to what the children are interested in." OTHER NEWS: Kilmacolm mum lifts lid on eight years of work to create her dream home in village CVS Inverclyde shines a light on Inverclyde Foodbank to mark National Volunteers Week Former Greenock school gets a £500k makeover before new owners open their doors Craig added: "They already know the firefighters, paramedics and police. It's good they visit the nursery and children get the chance to meet them face to face and learn about their tools and their equipment." "This week we had celebrations in all rooms, and a graduation for the children who are leaving to go on to school. "We have 20 children who are moving on to school and we held the graduation in Auchmountain Halls. "They performed songs for their parents and carers and we had a slide show of photographs showing what they've done over the year. "We had a presentation and they received books and certificates and sang more songs." (Image: George Munro) (Image: George Munro) (Image: George Munro) (Image: George Munro) (Image: George Munro) (Image: George Munro) Children can also look forward to beach parties and water play to finish the term on the high. Craig said it had been a pleasure working with the children, their carers and parents. He said: "At the graduation, it made me remember that we have had some of these children when they were six or nine months old. "Looking back at all these photographs, it makes you realise how much time you have spent with them. "It's sad to see them go, but that is what we are here to do - to help them move on to that next step."
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
6 Bottles You Must Try If You Want To Learn About Scotch Whisky
With the incredible range of Scotch whiskies available to try today, it's become trickier than ever to figure out where to start. Diving in also means learning a new kind of whisky vocabulary - sherry bombs, peat, ex-bourbon, Islay, single malts, grain whisky - it can all feel a little overwhelming. But it doesn't have to be intimidating. While there's always new Scotch whiskies being released all the time, I've curated here what I'll call an ideal 'starter pack'. Each of these six whiskies is a great introduction to the different kinds of aroma and flavor profiles you can find in Scotch. While some of these are well-known, these aren't 'beginner whiskies'. The way they are made and matured also serves as an excellent way to start learning about production, maturation and even the history of Scotch whisky. So in no particular order, we've got: This iconic whisky is considered to be one of the industry's gold standard products. The Basics: Johnnie Walker Black Label is one of the most widely recognized Scotch whiskies in the world and features possibly whisky's most recognisable mascot, the 'Striding man'. It is also widely considered by the global whisky industry to be a masterpiece in terms of the quality and consistency that has been maintained over decades at a mass scale of production. First released in its current form in 1909, it's produced by Diageo and blends around 40 different malt and grain whiskies, with a minimum age of 12 years. Why is it important: Black Label is a perfect example of the blender's art: consistency, complexity, and a seamless integration of styles is achieved while mixing together 40 different malt and grain whiskies drawn from all over Scotland. Matured in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, it also features just a light whisper of barely perceptible peaty smoke. It's also an incredibly flexible whisky. Whether enjoyed neat, with ice or in a cocktail it'll always be satisfying to drink. Tasting notes: Table Whisky from the Leith Export Co. The Basics: Grain whisky is an underrated Scotch whisky category. When it comes to Scotch whisky terminology, 'grain' refers to anything that isn't made with 100% malted barley, and usually is distilled with a piece of equipment called column or continuous stills as opposed to the more traditional pot stills. Chapeau to the good people behind the Port of Leith Distillery in Edinburgh for releasing this affordable grain, which they've actually sourced from another Edinburgh distillery, the mysterious North British grain whisky distillery in Gorgie. Why is it important: Grain whisky often gets overshadowed by single malts, but this bottle shows just how elegant and approachable grain can be. Grain whisky features less of the variety found in malts - great grain whiskies tend to be sweet, floral and creamy. Table Whisky is the current and hip go-to for an easy to find, high quality and budget-friendly example of the category. Tasting Notes: The Deanston 12 Year Old label. The Basics: A Highland distillery housed in a former cotton mill, its 12 Year Old was reintroduced in 2012 with a bump in ABV and a promise that no chill-filtration nor caramel coloring added into the whisky. The distillery itself also generates its own power through an onsite hydro-energy facility. Why is it important: This whisky is entirely aged in ex-Bourbon casks, which comprise the vast majority of casks used to age whisky around the world, including in Scotland. Deanston 12 is an ideal example to illustrate the kinds of aromas and flavors that can be typically found in great ex-Bourbon casks - which tend towards lighter profiles. Tasting Notes: The Tamdhu 12 Year Old is entirely matured in sherry casks. The Basics: Located in the Scottish whisky capital of Speyside, Tamdhu exclusively matures its whiskies in sherry casks. The 12 Year Old expression debuted in 2018 as part of a revamped core range. Why is it important: This bottle demonstrates the power of sherry cask maturation without going too dry or deep. Using only Oloroso-seasoned European and American oak, Tamdhu 12 is rich and full-bodied. It's a great ambassador for sherried Scotch, showing how cask seasoning plays a major role in shaping flavor. Tasting Notes: Springbank Distillery's stills. The Basics: Campbeltown's Springbank is revered by most whisky connoisseurs and is one of the most old-school, largely making whisky exactly using the same methods as 50-60 years ago. Everything is done on-site, from malting to bottling. Its flagship 10 Year Old, is matured in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Why is it important: This is a perfect representation of what Campbeltown whiskies are about. While classifying whisky profiles by 'region' tends to be counterproductive, Campbeltown only has three of them (two of them owned by Springbank's owners), and they definitely share some key characteristics. Springbank 10 is coastal, oily, and ever so slightly peated,. Tasting Notes: Laphroaig Quarter Cask The Basics: Laphroaig is often the first distillery people think of when the word 'peat' is mentioned. One of Islay's poster children, Laphroaig's whisky is both loved and hated because of it's bold, medicinal and smoky profile. Therefore it serves as a perfect, if polarizing, example showcasing the aromas and flavors of heavy peat. Why is it important: When the Quarter Cask was first launched in 2004, it represented a bold move in maturation - using smaller casks (quarter casks, hence the name) to create an intense full profile across a shorter space of time. The whisky is first aged in standard ex-bourbon barrels and then transferred to smaller American oak quarter casks, increasing the contact between whisky and wood. Personally I prefer the result here over the distillery's iconic 10 year old. Tasting Notes:
