Shetland fishers have called for a more cautious approach to developing offshore wind farms.
Projects already in the pipeline could wreak havoc with key spawning and nursery grounds for important fish stocks, they warned today.
According to Shetland Fishermen’s Association (SFA), there are major overlaps between proposed areas of offshore wind farm development and sensitive ecosystems for young fish.
Haddock is the staple ingredient of Scottish fish suppers.
But only two out of 18 areas earmarked for turbine installation under the Scottish Government’s ScotWind and Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas leasing rounds are outside haddock spawning or nursery grounds, SFA said.
Several wind farm areas will impact the spawning and nursery grounds of Scotland’s most valuable pelagic fish stocks, such as mackerel, herring and blue whiting, the industry body added.