Cromarty Rising

This was published in the P&J on Monday: “It is understood that frogmen from the Special Boat Service (SBS) and specialists from the Royal Navy have been carrying out covert searches of the vessels. It is feared that Islamist terrorists have attached explosive devices to ships while they are in the Middle East, in order […]

Following on from our oil leaks on disturbance to EPS – here’s a topical story from the P&J earlier in the week: Could plans to expand Aberdeen Harbour drive dolphins away? “Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) claim the noise during construction, and an increase in underwater noise due to more shipping traffic, could cause […]

Carrying on with Marine Scotland EPS guidance (there is a lot of it!): 1.2.4 What is a significant effect on local distribution or abundance of a species? Regulation 39(1)(b)(v) specifies disturbance which is likely ‘to significantly affect the local distribution or abundance of the species to which it belongs.’ The Commission Guidance suggests that, for […]

More on the Marine Scotland Guidance on EPS: Launched in 2006 as a requirement of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code is primarily concerned with minimising disturbance. Although primarily aimed at the wildlife watching industry, the definition of disturbance within the Code is relevant for other activities as well. […]

Carrying on with the series on EPS disturbance as provided by Marine Scotland guidance: The Habitats Directive specifies the periods of rearing, breeding, hibernation and migration as being particularly sensitive periods in the context of disturbance. The Commission Guidance recognises that:   Species are very different ecologically, biologically and behaviourally so a species-by-species approach is […]

So, back to Marine Scotland’s own guidelines for EPS – one of the main offences that could be committed by STS operation is disturbance of whales and dolphins. But what do they mean by disturbance?? Unsurprisingly, there is no quick answer, here’s what Marine Scotland say: 1.2.1 What constitutes disturbance? Article 12(1)(b) of the Habitats […]

As highlighted in Oil Leak 172, Marine Scotland have some comprehensive advice on EPS, catchily titled: “The Protection of Marine European Protected Species from Injury and Disturbance – Guidance for Inshore Waters”. Published in March 2014. Here’s what the guidance says: Legislation in Scottish inshore waters The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended) […]

Cromarty Rising maintain that the Scottish Government have the power to prevent STS in the Moray Firth by refusing to grant a European Protected Species (EPS) licence. Dolphins, whales & proposes are all EPS and where an activity that is undertaken that could cause disturbance to them (which is an offence) – a licence is […]

Those who have been reading the papers will know that the CFPA are planning decommissioning oil rigs at Invergordon and are current trying to obtain a PPC licence from SEPA. We understand this will be advertised in the next few weeks and there will be an opportunity to comment. I would imaging the port are […]

Interesting article in last weeks Guardian revealing oil spilled from a rig in Australia’s Bass Strait. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/10/exxonmobil-criticised-over-response-to-bass-strait-oil-spill Particularly depressing as the rig is operated by an affiliate of Exxon Mobil (remember the Exxon Valdez). Supposedly only 774 litres which is about the same size as the worst STS incident in the UK  – well if […]