Friday 29 March 2024
 6.1°C   SE Light Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / MSP raises marine protection concerns

SHETLAND MSP Tavish Scott is raising concerns about the Scottish government’s approach to designating marine protected areas (MPAs) around the isles.

While the community of Fair Isle have been actively campaigning for an MPA around their island, Mr Scott said they were being ignored in favour of an area near Fetlar where local people are worried designation will affect jobs in the fishing and other industries.

Mr Scott is meeting with representatives of Scottish Natural Heritage on Tuesday to discuss the consultation, which is being carried out by SNH and the UK-wide Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).

“Fair Isle has always wanted marine protection. The community supports it and has campaigned for such an MPA designation. Yet SNH and the JNCC want to designate an area next to Fetlar,” he said.

“The simple question is why, when Fair Isle has made a compelling case to be an MPA, have SNH and the JNCC ignored this in favour of Fetlar where local people are concerned that an MPA will make it more difficult to develop businesses dependant on the sea?

“Surely it is best to work with island communities to achieve a shared objective – marine protection – than to ignore a campaign that has been going on for many years.

“In addition to my meetings, I have also asked that the Scottish government make a socio-economic assessment of any proposed designation given the worries over greater and increasing bureaucracy that local businesses face.”

Mr Scott has tabled a series of parliamentary questions on the issue and plans to meet with the JNCC in the next few weeks.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.