Wetlands (Hansard, 8 May 1990)

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on 18 April,Official Report, column 930, how many of the estuarine sites of special scientific interest which have been listed for possible designation under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds are national nature reserves; shellfish harvesting is controlled through byelaws; which local authorities have made byelaws to control access to the foreshore; and if he will make a statement.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
The area of a national nature reserve may not always extend to the whole area of a site of special scientific interest. Of the 11 estuarine sites covered by the EC directive, four contain national nature reserves. The information requested about byelaws is not available.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on 18 April,Official Report, column 930, what proposals he has considered to control or prohibit damaging operations below low-water mark for the purposes of meeting Her Majesty's Government's obligations under the Ramsar convention on the conservation of wetlands of international importance and under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds; and if he will make a statement.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
Damaging operations below the low water mark in any area, whether or not designated under the Ramsar convention or the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds, can be controlled or prohibited through byelaws under section 37 and schedule 12 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 after designation as a marine nature reserve. It is for the Nature Conservancy Council to propose suitable areas for designation to the Secretary of State under section 36 of the 1981 Act.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on 18 April,Official Report, column 930, what information he has on the mechanical harvesting of inter-tidal organisms, such as cockles, on sites of special scientific interest; and where this harvesting is being undertaken by persons who are owners or occupiers of the sites, what steps he proposes to take in order to fulfil Her Majesty's Government's obligations under the Ramsar convention on the conservation of wetlands of international importance and under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds; and if he will make a statement.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
The Nature Conservancy Council has informed me of mechanical 67W shellfish harvesting on various inter-tidal areas of the upper Solway flats and marshes site of special scientific interest. I await the council's views and advice once it has considered the recently completed research report on the impact of cockling. At common law, the public have a right to take small shellfish including cockles from the foreshore. Access to the foreshore for mechanical vehicles may be controlled by byelaws and I have encouraged the council to consider how such control might be applied.