MSPs condemn coastguard proposals
THE TWO northern isles MSPs Tavish Scott and Liam McArthur have condemned the proposals to close coastguard stations in Scotland as “irresponsible”.
In their joint submission to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency consultation on the future of the Lerwick and Stornoway coastguard stations, the two Liberal Democrats have also called for the retention of the emergency tugs on the north and west coast of Scotland.
The MSPs highlight the importance of local knowledge, the growth of sea traffic in the area and the unreliable communication links between Shetland and the mainland is key concerns.
Calling for the government to retain full time coastguard stations in Lerwick, Stornoway and Aberdeen, they say local knowledge is of vital importance for a quick response to an emergency.
“It is not just the knowledge of the geography of the area that is vital, the coastguards also need to understand local pronunciations, be knowledgeable of the marine operations in their area and be familiar with the tides and sea states in different weather conditions,” they say.
They also challenge the suggestion that local knowledge could be provided by local volunteer coastguards and search and rescue teams and saY Lerwick and Stornoway stations already cover overlarge areas following the closure of Oban and Kirkwall stations 10 years ago.
The growth of the offshore oil and gas industry in the north Atlantic, the development of marine renewable energy, the movement of aquaculture into deeper water and increasing leisure shipping were adding to the coastguard’s workload, they add.
On communications between Shetland and the Scottish mainland, they say: “The links tend to fail during periods of poor weather, when transport and other logistical problems can delay their repair. But it is precisely during such periods when the coastguard’s service is of greatest importance.”
Calling for the retention of the emergency tugs, they draw attention to the damage caused to Shetland’s tourist and seafood industries by the Braer oil spill in 1993.
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“That is why it is vital that the emergency tugs are maintained in the northern and western isles, as recommended in the Donaldson Report, and why locally based coastguards must remain in place with the local knowledge and ability to react quickly to an emergency.
“We totally reject the irresponsible proposal to leave Scotland with only two coastguard stations during the day, and only one during the night, when the challenges they could face can be greater than such a reduced service could safely cover.
“We believe that if an acceptable and safe service is to be provided it needs, as a minimum, the retention of full time stations in Lerwick, Stornoway and Aberdeen.”
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