There is little evidence of the “clearance” of small communities fishermen's leaders warned would result from the creation of legally protected areas of sea, where fishing activity is restricted, according to research.

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) feared that the introduction of such measures could ‘devastate' fishing villages where only a few boats work.

But a new report by the Scottish Government examining the impact claims little has changed.

This study focuses on the first tranche of 10 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that are governed under Scottish Government legislation; and 10 inshore Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) that are under the EU Habitats Directive.

It has gathered evidence from interviewing fishermen, and analysing fishing activity data and three case studies of the South Arran and Wester Ross MPAs and the East Mingulay SAC in the Outer Isles.

The report “found no evidence, at the Scotland level, of significant positive or negative socioeconomic impacts linked to MPA management measures introduced in February 2016. This applies to the fishing industry, aquaculture, tourism, seafood processing and other marine and coastal developments.”

However it did find that at “more localised levels”, individual fishing vessels have been displaced from some fishing grounds to adapt to the management measures introduced.

But it says “With the exception of one vessel, all displaced vessels were still operating at the time evidence was gathered for this report. In the case of the vessel that stopped fishing, there is evidence to suggest business viability had been impacted by the introduction of the MPA management measures.”

It found that two other vessels had stopped fishing, either sold or not replaced. But there was “limited independent evidence” this was linked directly to the MPAs.

It says there is evidence that the losses in fishing grounds within MPAs have largely been substituted by increased effort outside these areas, or that the reduction in income has been small “relative to annual variations in earnings for fishing businesses.”

But one skipper said the loss of the East Mingulay SAC, where there were better quality prawns, had cost him £60,000 in the summer months. However he had changed vessels, so it was difficult to compare with previous years, the report says.

Meanwhile the South Arran MPA case study found that trawler vessels fished around five to six weeks weeks a year in the affected area mainly in poor weather during winter months. Historically it accounted for around 10-15 per cent of a vessels’ winter income. But the study was undertaken prior to the winter season, and landings data was not available to verify these claims.

The report recognises there is concern about sustainability of stocks in areas outside protected area because of increased fishing because of displacement of fishing effort. This should be part of an ongoing monitoring programme and a further evaluation was being commissioned by Marine Scotland for 2018

Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Roseanna Cunningham welcoming the report said:

“We recognise that some industries have concerns about the effects of MPAs which has why we promised to assess their economic impact. It is good to see the report’s findings that new management measures have had little impact on the health of the fisheries industry so far.

“We recognise this report is just a snapshot and some sectors are still adjusting to the changes." These would continue to be monitored.

She said the Scottish Government had also prioritised funding through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and was supporting applications from vessel skippers looking for assistance to change their fishing practices.

Some fishing interests are likely to argue that this "snapshot" underestimates the impact on the industry. But spokesman for the SFF said the body could not comment until the report had been studied fully.