Marine Scotland to ban homemade markers
Plastic containers and other everyday items used to mark creel and lobster pots in Scottish waters are to be banned as part of a raft of measures to be taken by Marine Scotland.
It has recently issued new guidance to fishermen on the best practice to mark static fishing gear within 12 miles of Scotland’s low waterline.
The move follows consultations with fishing bodies and other marine environment users. Marine Scotland said it would introduce a new law banning the use of equipment not specifically manufactured for the purpose of marking fishing gear, such as plastic milk cartons and netted footballs. By next spring, all fishermen must use appropriate buoys or floats to identify gear. These must be marked with either the vessel’s Port, Letter and Number (PLN) or, if the fisherman is unlicensed, a unique reference number, which will be issued on request by the local Marine Scotland Fishery Office. The Cruising Association and the RYA have welcomed the move and have campaigned for better marking of static fishing gear in UK waters. They have asked sailors to report entanglement incidents to them.