Fife Council votes to join marine protection group Kimo UK

Members of the Cabinet Committee voted 13 to nine in favour of joining Kimo UK at a meeting on Thursday.

According to the Kimo website, the organisation shares a “vision of healthy seas, clean beaches and thriving coastal communities”. It claims to represent its members in international decision making processes; develop and take part in projects with local impact; create opportunities to work internationally for marine health; and keep members up to date with important international laws and regulations.

Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Highland, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, and South Ayrshire councils are all already members of Kimo.

Following the vote on Thursday morning, Fife Council has joined those ranks. However, the decision was not unanimous.

A committee report from Pam Ewen, head of planning services, recommended that councillors decline to formally join Kimo while continuing to support Kimo UK’s Fishing for Litter project that is operational in Pittenweem Harbour and the private St Andrews harbour.

“The Council acknowledges the importance of the marine environment, but the benefits of Kimo’s work are beyond Fife Council’s current scope,” Ms Ewen said in the report. SNP councillors were inclined to agree.

However, Labour, Lib-Dem and Conservative councillors were all of the opinion that Fife Council should join Kimo UK for one year on a trial basis.

“Obviously we see more and more of the coastline being destroyed,” Councillor Fiona Corp (Lib-Dem for East Neuk and Landward) began.

“And Kimo UK does actually help with the coastline. It’s not just about the water and water pollution which is obviously a big issue.”

She continued: “We encourage people to come use our coast – we’ve got 116 miles of the Fife Coastal Path – and I think we should be looking after it a little bit better.”

Councillor Altany Craik (Labour for Glenrothes West and Kinglassie) added: “We’re a wee bit dancing around whether this is worthwhile or not. I think the best thing is to join Kimo UK and put a sunset clause on it – we’ll review it again in a year and see if it is actually going to generate any benefit.”

SNP councillors took the opposite approach and wished to focus on coastal protection projects that are already underway rather than joining a new organisation with potentially limited benefit.

Councillor Brian Goodall (SNP for Rosyth), who is quite familiar with the “fantastic work” of Kimo UK, was likewise against joining.

“They do some fantastic work but the simple reality for me is that the issues we’re facing are more issues for ourselves and Scottish Water than they are really issues relating to the further out marine environment,” he said.

“If we’re really serious about making a difference to our own coastline, it’s about further negotiations with Scottish Water and finding ways to get that level of investment into the system that stops the sewage outflows. That’s the way we’re going to make a difference rather than joining this organisation – as worthwhile as they are.”

The decision was put to a vote, and Cabinet Committee councillors voted 13 to 9 in favour of joining Kimo UK.