Strong localism

In my initial letter, I was not stating my personal opinion on the “right” boundary- rather, I was pointing out the legal precedents and the legal parameters within which an EEZ would be introduced.

Christopher Ritch is right to observe that the Faroe Islands and the Falkland Islands have maintained larger EEZs, albeit with larger distances to neighbouring countries (Iceland and Argentina respectively).

I would point out that, elsewhere in Mahdi Zahraa’s paper, he discusses the importance of continental shelves to the delineation of EEZs. I understand that the Faroes rest on its own continental shelf, whereas Shetland forms part of Scotland’s.

This has ramifications for the delineation of boundaries, as has been seen in the Falklands, where its contiguity with Argentina’s continental shelf has affected its own EEZ limit, I believe.

Regardless of the eventual EEZ limit, if we were to listen to Mr Scott’s party leader Willie Rennie, then “these latest [GERS] figures [on the value of oil] underline the folly of relying on such a volatile source of income”.

Given Shetland’s historic success with its own oil fund, I do not believe this to be the case. However it seems as if the politician proposing a Crown Dependency does not even believe that one of the main bases for Shetland’s historic prosperity could provide for Shetland in this case.

If we are to further follow the logic of the proponent of this idea, then this debate is somewhat moot. As Paul Riddell observed last year: “Of course Mr Scott should be pushing for the best possible deal for Shetland, but he says he does not believe that Scotland, never mind Shetland, will vote for independence, so this is surely political troublemaking and not a serious negotiating position.”

I do, however, believe that both Scotland and Shetland will vote for independence in 2014. As Tavish himself said in 2008, I too “am in favour of greater powers for Shetland, but they need to sit within a coherent structure for the whole of Scotland”.

Let us work together to find a practical solution that delivers the strong localism for all island communities that I have publicly backed before.

Yours,
Jean Urquhart MSP