 The final item of business today is a member's business debate on motion number 13880, in the name of Roderick Campbell, on Scottish Oceans Institute's work on seal deaths and population decline. This debate will be concluded without any questions being put. I invite those members who wish to speak in the debate to please press their request to speak muthans now or as soon as possible, and I would further invite those members who are leaving the chamber to do so quickly and quietly please, Mr Campbell, seven minutes. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'd like to thank everybody who stayed behind this evening to take part in this debate. I'd also like to welcome Dr Bernie McConnell of the Seamammal Research Unit, which is part of the Scottish Oceans Institute at the University of St Andrews to the public gallery tonight. I should also declare at this point that I am the Scottish environmental species champion for harbour seals. Us can see that, prior to this illustrious appointment, I have little knowledge of the problems facing the harbour seal, and whilst I was notionally aware of decreasing seal numbers on Scotland's eastern and northern coastlines, it's come as quite a surprise to learn just how significant the fall in numbers has been in recent years. What does the SNRU do? SNRU provides the UK's main science capability in the field of marine mammal biology and is funded in part by the National Environment Research Council. While most of the SNRU's research is carried out on dolphins' whales and killer whales, most of the research carried out by the SNRU, which is funded by the NERC, is carried out on seals. Other significant funding for the SNRU is provided by the Scottish Government and also by various bodies, including the European Union, NGOs and even the Ministry of Defence. One notable achievement of the SNRU came in 2012, however, when the University of St Andrews was awarded a Queen's anniversary prize in recognition of the outstanding contribution made by the unit into understanding and protecting the oceans. The university was described as a, quote, world leader over many years in work aimed at understanding and improving the global marine environment. Therefore, fitting that I should mention some of the work of SNRU that has taken place in recent years on seal population decline. The Conservation of Seals Act 1970, which has been replaced by Marine Scotland Act 2010, places a duty on the NERC to provide, quote, relevant and timely advice about the management of UK seal populations. This is work carried out by SNRU on behalf of NERC. There also exists an ecological quality objective for harbour seals as set out by the OSPAR convention in 1992. It states that, quote, there should be no decline in harbour seal population size of 10 per cent or more as represented in a five-year running mean. Recent findings by the SNRU have indicated, however, that there are significant declines in population numbers well in excess of the 10 per cent limit. The decline in areas such as Shetland, Auckland and South East Scotland, including the Tay Estuary, has been markedly steep. In the Firth of Tay area, harbour seal numbers have fallen from approximately 800 in 1995 to almost 50 at the most recent survey a few years ago. The question on everybody's lips has been why. Presiding officer, since my original motion, which refers to corkscrew deaths, was circulated around members to support, there have been developments. But what are corkscrew deaths? So-called corkscrew deaths are when a seal displays a smooth, continuous wound with clean-cut skin with the injury starting at the head and spiralling down around the body. Those injuries were first spotted at the end of the last decade, and in 2011 the SNRU started its research into unexplained seal deaths, including those that had occurred due to corkscrew injuries. Initial hypothesis from the SNRU suggested that the wounds could not be inflicted by any known predator. Instead, ducted propellers on ships were believed to be a possible cause of the damage. Despite all of the work and investigations that were carried out, however, the initial conclusions whereby predators were not to blame for the deaths have been proved to be at least partially incorrect. Why? Because several adult grey seals were observed at the Isle of May, catching and killing grey seal pups, as well as harbour seals. One particular adult grey seal was tagged at the Isle of May and followed to Germany, where it displayed the same behaviour. Of the carcasses observed and recovered by the SNRU, the wounds displayed were consistent with previous corkscrew injuries. Why is this important? Because as recently as February 2014, the Scottish Government, as well as the UK Government, were put under pressure to ban the use of covered propellers on the basis of the SNRU evidence. Despite the new evidence, it suggested that it would be premature to completely discount the possibility that some of the corkscrew injuries are caused by interactions with propellers. That is further evidence of the fact that additional research is required to confirm what is causing population decline. Is it increased interaction with grey seals and therefore competition for resources? Is it predation by grey seals? Is it biotoxins present in Scotland's waters? Is it shooting of seals? Helpfully, the simple answer is that it could be any or all of the above. It could equally be something else altogether. Far more research is required on this subject, not only to identify exactly what is causing such a decline in seal populations in Scotland, but also to explain the discrepancies in population declines. I have mentioned that populations in the south-east of Scotland have declined and that predation by grey seals has been confirmed. On the west of Scotland, however, by contrast, harbour seal numbers are increasing, as well as grey seal numbers, with no confirmed predation problems. The biotoxins that I referred to earlier, specifically dumic acid, which can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning, are currently subject to on-going research, but I hope that the SNRU agree with me a lot more research is required in this area. I am aware that some of what I have referred to in the last few moments may be controversial. I am, of course, aware of findings by the SNRU earlier this year regarding the cause of corg's progress that attracted widespread immediate attention, and some bodies, not least the whale and dolphin conservation group, considered it inappropriate, whilst urging precautionary mitigation advice to be put in place until the causes of death are clearly understood. Also, in recent weeks, there has been reference to seal shooting. Data has been published via freedom of information regarding the number of seals shot by salmon farms across Scotland. The statistics reveal that 176 seals were shot over the past two years in order to protect fish stocks, with almost half of the shootings taking place in Shetland. I would like to continue if I can, just on this point. Jamie, I will come back to if I can, but the purpose of this debate, however, I believe there is scant evidence that legal shooting can be regarded as a contributing factor in the debate. I will take the intervention now. I was just wondering whether the seals in question that were being shot by the salmon farmers were mostly grey seals or common seals. The other thing was that I believe that, a few years ago, there was a disease that was killing common seals, but not grey seals. Does the member know about that? I know about the latter one. As to the former question, I think that I would have to parcel that answer. I wanted to highlight this debate itself and not to get too drawn into the controversial issue of the deaths at salmon farms. In conclusion, the Scottish Oceans Institute has a lot to offer in the field of oceans research. I am sure that their new building, upon which construction work will commence in the not-too-distant future, will help to ensure more innovative research. Whilst existing premises that they work from are impressive, they are also small and outdated. I hope that you will forgive my unavoidable aquatic joke when I say that those working in the current SMRU are packed into their current premises like sardines in a tin. However, I hope that they can continue their invaluable work, and I further hope that the Scottish Government and the NERC, as the main financial contributors to their work, will continue to fund the unit to allow it to continue its oppressive work. I thank Roderick Campbell for securing today's debate on the important work carried out by the Scottish Oceans Institute. As Deputy convener of the cross-party group on animal welfare, sale deaths and harbour sale decline is an issue that I am increasingly aware of and concerned about. Scotland has a very proud naval and fishing tradition, and many of our communities up and down Scotland's east coast rely on marine resources to sustain our local economy. Indeed, many of my constituents are employed at Recife Dockyard, working on the new Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers. However, our harnessing of the sea's natural resources cannot be tolerated when it comes to exploitation. A report by the Sea Mammal Research Institute, which Mr Campbell highlighted, concluded that the most likely cause of seal corkscrew deaths was, at the time, believed to be the docked propeller systems on ships operating in shallow coastal waters. Those propellers sucked the seals into the slipstream and then caused distinctive horrific laceration marks right along the length of the seal's body in a corkscrew shape. While we recognise the importance of our seas to our economy, I think that we have also got to remember our responsibilities as users of the sea. More than 80 seals, including 32 harbour seals, have died near my constituency of Dunferman in the first and fourth. There is every likelihood that this type of injury is a lot more widespread than those figures suggest. We certainly do not have a full understanding of the causes of the corkscrew deaths. That is why it is important that the Scottish Government continues to support the innovative work carried out by the Scottish Oceans Institute in this very important wonder research area. I would also like to congratulate the work carried out by the Inverness veterinary based on post mortems after unexplained seal deaths. It is essential that the way forward on this issue is to follow a rigorous approach based on the best possible scientific evidence. I therefore hope that the Scottish Government will continue to provide all the support that it can to those bodies and their work. Turning to the report by the Scottish Oceans Institute, which we are debating today, there are some concerns to be raised concerning the release of the research. The report suggests a new theory that the corkscrew deaths suffered by the seals may be caused by predatory attacks from other grey seals. This new theory could be key to saving dozens of seals' lives over the next few years, but it is important to note that the report emphasises that we do not have a categorical answer as to why seal populations are dropping so rapidly. It is therefore concerning that the Scottish Government chose to fast-track the publication of evidence of the new theory and to release information to the shipping industry before its official publication. Back in April, documents released under FOI and originally reported in the SNP's favourite newspaper, The National, revealed that the Government officials had planned to brief the UK shipping industry two days before publication, leaving environmental groups to read the report at a later date. Given those circumstances, it is difficult not to agree with Sarah Doman of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society when she said that the tone of advice to ministers and the speed with which it was delivered suggests that helping industry is a Government's prime concern rather than protecting Scotland's precious wildlife. She goes on to say that officials seemed more anxious to keep the shipping and renewables industry sweet than to enact precaution and ensure that all possible causes of seal deaths are minimised. I hope that for the sake of Scotland's seals, Presiding Officer, Ms Doman has just been cynical. To conclude, Presiding Officer, I welcome the work of the Scottish Oceans Institute and its aim to use interdisciplinary skills to develop world-class research in marine sciences. I also welcome the report and the opportunities that it presents to curb the rapid decline in seal populations that affect the fourth and other Scottish marine areas. I really do hope that that report is not used as an opportunity for some to dodge responsibility for seal deaths. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society says that if the Scottish Government does not act, then our harbour seals could disappear from the fourth and the east of Scotland within 20 years. We have got to act to ensure that our marine protected areas are conserved, enhanced and protected for the future and managed to meet the needs of both people and of nature. I call on Graham Day to be followed by Jamie McGregor. Let me begin by congratulating my friend and colleague, Rod Campbell, on securing this debate. As a hard-working constituent of MSP, I would expect nothing less from Mr Campbell than from him to highlight the impressive work being carried out in the part of the country that he represents. In a broader sense, and I say that this is a member of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, it is welcome that we have the chance to consider the Scottish Oceans Institute's research into seal deaths and population decline. In passing some other fine work done at St Andrews in developing seal-scaring devices that are deployed around the salmon farms in the west of Scotland, protecting the crop for predation and reducing the need for shooting. Thanks to St Andrews, not only are we developing a better understanding of why seal numbers are declining in some parts of the country, but we also have the emergence of measures to actively mitigate a possible contributing factor in the decline overall. The Seal Mammal Research Institute of SOI, which next year celebrates its 20th birthday, provides statutory advice to the Scottish Government through the NERC on seal management issues. In addition, as the motion notes, it was commissioned to carry out research into harbour seal declines and the specific issue of corkscrew deaths. That work has progressed to the point where, as we have heard, the former has now thought that competition from large grey seals is the likeliest cause and, in the latter case, grey seal predation, the likeliest explanation where grey is now being found in areas previously occupied by harbour seals only. There is also a strand of the Scottish Government commission research under way, I believe, into interactions between seals and salmon net fisheries, a subject that has attracted quite a lot of attention in the media of weight. That, too, is very welcome, as we really need to move away from this very polarised and often emotive opinions on the issue and get the hard facts required to have appropriately shaped future policy. The Marine Scotland Act has provided far greater protection for seals than was previously the case. We are now far more open to in providing detail of how many seals are shot under licence with figures indicating a pronounced fall since the act was introduced in 2010. The better we understand the causes of declining populations and where shooting actually sits or does not sit within that in terms of contribution, the more informed the decisions that can be taken. On the subject of seals and science, we have recently seen another thread developing that of the extent to which seals are responsible or may be responsible for the following numbers of salmon to be found in some of Scotland's rivers. We desperately need solid science as we seek to understand the following numbers of salmon making it back into our rivers. We are told that changing sea temperatures may be at fault. We are told that electromagnetic currents emanating from subsea cables. Cables might be confusing them as they make their journey home. Common sense tells us that netting at the mouths of rivers, especially when mixed stocks are involved, must be a significant factor. Now, most recent of all, it has been suggested that seals are consuming more salmon than was originally thought. We need a fuller understanding of the impact of seals on the salmon, to which end I note and welcome the answer provided by Rob Gibson MSP by the Government within the last few days on the subject of calculating the feed sources of seals. I look forward to publication later this year of a new study commissioned by the Government into the subject that has been carried out by the SOI. Just as we need to better understand the issues impacting on seals, we must understand better the impact of seals on the marine environment. As ever, it will be science of the type that is delivered by the Scottish Oceans Institute, which provides that understanding. I, too, congratulate Roderick Campbell on securing today's debate, and I join him and other members in commending the good work of the Scottish Oceans Institute and Sea Mammal Research Unit, which are important elements of the first-class academic offering and research base at the University of St Andrews, Scotland's oldest university and one of the world's very best. I would wish any project to develop new building facilities for that institute every success. It's vital that we have accurate data in relation to seal populations, not least as we seek to balance healthy seal populations with a vibrant and sustainable fisheries sector. Both are important to society, which the last speaker made a point of raising. As with other marine mammals, seals are difficult to count as they spend most of their lives other than during the breeding periods in or under the water. It's challenging to obtain a precise estimate of the total population size, and therefore population modelling needs to be robust. Seals are amazing creatures. I have very fond memories of swimming amongst them with my dog in the sea of Colin Tyree when I was a youngster. In relation to harbour or common seals, I'm aware that their numbers appear to be declining in some areas drastically by up to 85 per cent between 2000 and 2010, although the grey seal population seems to be more stable, which is a puzzle, although the grey seals seem to be better equipped to deal with any disease. They don't seem to get diseases, although there are so many of them, which again is extraordinary. I'm informed that the harbour seal populations in Orkney, Shetland and Firth of Tey continue to decrease, but the Murray Firth population appears to have stabilised, and the west coast of Scotland and the Outer Hebrides population does not appear to be showing the same dramatic decline as the Northern Isles. Clearly, there's a need for more research, as we don't have many answers and the actual causes of the decline. The member says that seals and the west coast are increasing, and the fisherman tells me that the colony of grey seals on the Monarch Islands near North Uist is in the region of 30,000, which seems an incredible number, and obviously they must eat of a large quantity of fish, including salmon and lots of other sea fish. But the assumption had always been that these deaths, the corkscrew deaths, were the distinctive corkscrew marks, were a result of injuries caused by ship's propellers, but the new research suggested cannibalistic predation by other grey seals, primary by adult males on seal pups and other seals may be the cause of a significant number of these seal deaths. This research, which increases our understanding of grey seal behaviour, may also support the view of other scientists that predation by grey seals on harbour seals is a real factor and one worthy of additional research, and there has again been some coverage lately in the media about seal death by shootings in the fish farming sector. No one surely wants to see these beautiful mammals culled unnecessarily, but we are aware too of the fact that each year thousands of seal attacks do take place on Scottish salmon farms. The salmon farming industry is clear that it wants to bring down the number of seals being culled and is making significant investment in that regard, for example in the more sophisticated acoustic deterrents and better nets. However, the industry maintains that of the glass resource its need to shoot persistent rogue seals that attack the nets as in the same way a terrestrial farmer might shoot rogue foxes or even pet dogs which sometimes attack and kill their livestock. So we support this happening, but only after all non-lethal methods of excluding or deterring seals have been explored and under strict licensing conditions. To conclude, Presiding Officer, I again welcome today's debate and look forward to further research discoveries from the SOI. Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm going to now call on Alison Johnson to be followed by Angela Mallick. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I too would like to thank Roderick Campbell for securing this important debate, giving us an opportunity to raise awareness of the first class research, first class and essential research taking place here in Scotland, enabling us to better understand the state of the marine environment and the challenges facing marine animals here in Scotland and beyond. Much concern has been voiced about the decline of our harbour seal population in certain areas, and it's vitally important that we understand why this isn't happening. Our marine environment is a really important barometer of our environmental health. The research cited in Roderick Campbell's motion demonstrates the value that it has. It was thought previously that propeller blades were the most likely cause of the gruesome corkscrew injuries inflicted on the young seals, and while clearly this hypothesis shouldn't be dismissed, we now know that there is an alternative and well-researched likely cause. And it's really, really important that we understand completely what is happening in our ocean. Many people are interested, from those who research our seas to those who want to visit our seas to get to know them better. Nature-based tourism provides 39,000 full-time equivalent jobs in Scotland. It brings £1.4 billion to the economy. It's one of the main reasons. Forty per cent of all tourism spend is about nature tourism. Tourists come and build the rest of their holiday around their desire to see seals in their natural environment, to witness whales at play from the deck of a small boat. I know I've been one of those tourists, I've been fortunate enough to be one of those tourists. Dr Van Siebel of Imperial College London recently said that a pristine ocean doesn't exist anymore. Every ocean is now filled with plastic. Last week, the press told us that many birds that have up to 8 per cent of their body mass made up of plastic might be difficult to envisage, but it's like a grown man carrying around two fat house cats. So marine research is absolutely essential because we are severely impacting the health of our oceans and this impacts many species. Globally, there's growing demand for higher welfare for our seas and the life in our seas. There's less tolerance of poor treatment of marine animals. There's a growing voice advocating the boycotting of dolphin area and a backlash against the tiny tanks that we see too many marine mammals imprisoned in. There are serious and valid concerns regarding agriculture and its impact. Here in Scotland, we're only now just able to learn, thanks to the FOI ruling, about which individual salmon farms have shot seals. It's acknowledged that the numbers have declined, but at 176 in the last two years, those numbers are still far too high. I'd also like to understand how rigorous the reporting and recording of those deaths are, because I have had constituents call me who have come across seals who have clearly been shot and who have been found by the water's edge. I warmly welcome the release of this information. It empowers people when they decide what they want to put in their shopping baskets and where they wish to spend their cash. We're told that salmon farming is a four to five hundred million pound industry and that it must be protected, but this intensive industry has a duty to the environment that it is set in and to those that it shares this environment with. When 87 per cent of farms don't have anti-predator nets, it cannot possibly be claimed that seals are being shot as a last resort. In closing, I'd be grateful if the minister could explain what the Government is doing with regard to issuing licences. Would the minister stress whether or not licences are issued to companies who do not have any non-lethal deterrents in place? I just can't understand why a farm that doesn't have anti-predator nets is issued with a licence to shoot seals. Thank you very much indeed. Thank you very much indeed. I now call on Hans Alemalik, after which we'll move to closing speech from the minister. Thank you very much and good evening, Presiding Officer. I thank Ronny Campbell for securing today's debate, one which is very important. The Scottish Ocean Institute work on seal deaths and population decline, which is important work. Presiding Officer, the Scottish Ocean Institute works out of the University of St Andrews and are doing an excellent piece of work which must be recognised. All Scottish wildlife must be monitored and to study why or what is good for them and what is harming them at all times. All life is connected in one way or another as I've always believed that there's a complete chain that various animals depend on each other, including us as human beings. The efforts made by the staff and students make the Scottish Ocean Institute and I would like to recognise that the government should be helping out as much as possible in acquiring appropriate buildings to allow the valuable work that's required and try to discover why our grey seals are in fact dying. All marine research should be supported. As an island nation, we depend upon our marine life more so than many other nations around the world and the sooner or later we will discover how our marine science plays such an important role in supporting our marine life and also ensuring that we live free of disease and free of danger. My colleague Ronny Campbell is correct when he says that there are dangers in not supporting our marine life. Search research which has been carried out is important and valuable and I think that it's significant to suggest that and not only do we bring these types of issues to the Scottish Parliament but actually we want the government to do something about it to ensure that the appropriate actions are taken but I don't want to lay all the blame on the Scottish government itself. I think that the marine life affects all of us around the world and therefore the UK government and the European Union governments have just an important role to play in supporting us in this effort. I have to say that many of occasion we all talk about exports of marine life, we all talk about our fisheries and we talk about many other things but one of the things we've always got to keep in mind is that marine life is very finely balanced. This is a population that we are responsible for as human beings who are beneficiaries in one form or another whether we do photographs, whether we do exports of food, whether we do research we are ultimately responsible. We play a very large role in either affecting them in their hour of need or whether we can affect them in a positive way that we can enrich our seas around our shores. So therefore while I take this opportunity for the third time to thank Roderick for this this motion I think I really want to say to our own government that perhaps we shouldn't feel that we have to carry all the burden on our own shoulders all the time. I think that the UK government as well as the European governments have a role to play and I would strongly urge and recommend that we pursue those angles to support the industry. Thank you very much Presiding Officer. We now move to closing speech from the minister, Eileen McLeod, minister seven minutes. I also start by thanking my colleague Roderick Campbell for bringing this important motion to the chamber this evening and for the opportunity to put on records my own appreciation for the excellent work and first-class research that is being done by the Scottish Oceans Institute at St Andrews University which also helps us in terms of protecting our marine environment for the future. I think in particular the sea mammal research unit within the institute which has played an absolutely key role in informing the development of a wide range of Scottish Government policy on marine mammals for over a decade and in fact there is no other facility in Europe which has a comparable breadth of expertise in marine mammal issues. As other members have highlighted already, the unit provided the scientific basis for the new seals legislation that was introduced under the Marine Scotland Act 2010, which has brought about greater protection for seals in Scotland than ever before. The act introduced a new seal licensing system to balance seal conservation with the protection of fisheries and fish farms from seal predation. In its first years since 2011, the system has resulted in a 56% reduction in the numbers of seals shot under licence across Scotland. A report on the operation of the seal licensing system was published last week as required by the act and that is available on the Scottish Government's website. I understand that all companies have at least one and many more non-lethal deterrent measures to try to answer the question that was put from Alison Johnstone. Scottish ministers also designated 194 seal hollows under the act where seals are protected from harassment. The expert knowledge of sea mammal research unit proved essential in identifying these important sites where seals emerged to rest or breed. A Monday of this week, 7 September, a consultation was published that is seeking views on whether or not an additional haul-out site on the river Ithin should be designated and this, too, is available on the Scottish Government's website with the closing date of 4 December. The sea mammal research unit provides a key source of scientific advice on marine mammals, especially seals, to the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government has also commissioned a wide range of specific research projects from the unit to inform policy development on marine mammals, including on seals. In the period since 2000, there have been declines in harbour common seal numbers in a number of regions around Scotland, as a number of our colleagues have highlighted. The current position is that the declines are continuing in the Firth of Tay, Orkney and Shetland. The position in the Western Isles and the Murray Firth is currently stable, but there have been no similar declines on the west coast of Scotland. The sea mammal research unit has been undertaking research into these declines, and so far, as we have heard earlier, eliminated a wide range of possible causes. It is now clear that we can eliminate fisheries by-catch, licence shooting, exposure to persistent organic pollutants, ffoscene distemper virus and other diseases as significant factors in these declines. However, the most likely cause of these declines is now considered, as many members have highlighted, to be competition from the increasing populations of the much larger grey seals. That might involve direct competition such as predation and competition for haul-out space or indirect competition over similar food resources. Of course, it is indicative of that possibility. Is the presence of increased numbers of grey seals at sites that are previously mostly colonised by harbour common seals, which has been noted in a number of areas of decline? From 2012 onwards, both Juvenile... I am grateful for the minister for taking him to Vincis. My colleague said that there are issues about water quality in the level of plastic that is in it. That will affect availability of food. Is that a factor that there will be some additional research on, please? I am very happy to come back to the member with some other details around that. From 2012 onwards, both Juvenile grey and adult harbour common seal deaths showing that unusual corkscrew or spiral injuries were reported to the Scottish Government-sponsored Scottish marine animal stranding scheme. The seal mammal research unit was commissioned to urgently investigate the potential causes of those unusual mortalities. Obviously, they worked very closely with the stranding scheme vets to record and examine as many dead seals showing those injuries as possible. That eliminated a number of potential causes before, as I have already heard, focusing on a theory that ship propellers might be responsible. Initial testing of the theory using models appeared to indicate that it was a possibility, although the reason for seals approaching ship propellers was never established. The research subsequently sought confirmation of the theory in the wild, but the researchers were surprised to record a grey seal and video killing between 11 and 14 Juvenile grey seals. The injuries caused by the grey seal were subsequently examined and confirmed as classic spiral seal cases. At the same time, similar reports from Germany confirmed that grey seals also attack harbour common seals in the same way. It is now considered that grey seal predation is one of the most likely causes of those mortalities, although ship propellers have not been entirely eliminated as a possible factor, but they are considered very unlikely to be significant. The sea mammal research unit is also working hard to identify possible interactions between marine mammals and marine renewables. The purpose of the research is purely to assess the risks of potential interactions and, if necessary, to identify possible mitigation measures. I commend the researchers at the sea mammal research unit for their efforts in undertaking such a wide range of research for the Scottish Government, and in some cases, for being able to adjust the focus of the research, it is short notice to be able to prioritise particular aspects. I look forward to seeing the results of their continuing work on harbour common seal decline, on the possible interactions between seals and marine renewable developments, and on the interactions between the seals and the salmon net fisheries. I am confident that the results of those projects will inform the future direction of the Scottish Government's sales policy. I thank all our members for their contributions to the debate, and I thank Roger Campbell again for bringing this motion to debate this night.