The ultimate goal is the establishment of a management regime sympathetic to the long-term needs of the marine environment and its users, most particularly the island community for whom a healthy, protected marine environment is a social, economic and cultural prerequisite.

The study is in two parts. The first describes the values and assets which the marine environment currently affords, including cultural and historical as well as ecological qualities. The second reviews the future, and in particular the need for a programme of long-term sustainable management to be enacted if Fair Isle is to retain, maintain and enhance its maritime values. It also outlines the action which is required to implement such a programme. Detailed, supportive information about marine values, community work and management measure recommendations are given in a series of appendices.

Fair Isle’s maritime environment is very rich, both at the natural environment and human community level. The two aspects are inextricably linked and a threat to the first has serious implications for the second. The Fair Isle community has witnessed an erosion of that richness and is concerned that, without concerted action, the resource will be devalued or lost.

Fair Isle has a wide range of maritime attributes and issues which are important and deserve urgent measures for these assets to be safeguarded. These are listed below:

The Natural Environment

Seabird colonies of national and international importance, sustained by rich food supply offshore.

Large sand-eel concentrations and spawning area, sand-eels being a vital food item for breeding seabirds.

Summer plankton proliferation underpins rich marine environment and plays vital role in fish abundance.

Fish abundance and variety also related to high water quality and habitats for shelter and breeding.

Marine Nature Conservation Review survey which has provided an important description of marine values.

Fair Isle is custodian to littoral, sublittoral and offshore habitats of nature conservation importance.

A range of habitats which support a diversity of notable species and rich or unusual communities.

A diverse selection of whales and dolphins, an indicator group for a quality marine environment.

An abundance of seals, and an endemic mouse thriving within seabird colonies.

Terrestrial biodiversity is enhanced throughout the isle because of the influence of the sea.

Fair Isle’s location is a key contributor to its high biogeographical importance.

Meteorological factors play an important role in promoting conditions for plankton productivity.

Geological features of national conservation importance.

National scenic area, with outstanding landscapes.

Man and the Environment

A large and varied information base has been built up of the Isle’s environmental and cultural heritage.

The value of Fair Isle’s natural environment is acknowledged through a welter of designations and awards.

Long term interests and investment in Fair Isle by the National Trust for Scotland demonstrate the importance given to it by Scotland’s largest conservation body.

Fair Isle’s status, recognition and ownership ensure good protection and custodianship, but only of the terrestrial area.

Whilst the terrestrial area is designated as a Special Protection Area in recognition of the internationally important seabird populations it supports, it fails to meet its conservation objectives as the marine feeding areas around the Isle continue to be unprotected.

The designation which currently comes closest to recognising the need to ensure a balanced marine ecosystem is the Council of Europe Diploma. Successive renewals have drawn attention to the marine area and its importance to both the environment and the island community.

Unfortunately the Diploma’s marine environmental recommendations have not been enacted by decision-making bodies and the Island community remains helpless against the unregulated demand for resources.

Designations and recommendations, with regard to the marine area, do not equate with protection of that area and its values.

Management

The Fair Isle community, in partnership with Fair Isle Bird Observatory and the National Trust for Scotland, has taken the initiative in trying to protect the marine resource for the future. They have established the Fair Isle Marine Environment and Tourism Initiative to research, interpret and draw attention to the issues; and been instrumental in creating the Fair Isle Marine Partnership, an advisory group incorporating all users and bodies otherwise involved in the Fair Isle marine area.

It is hoped to establish a common approach to the sustainable, long-term management of Fair Isle waters.

A previous document, Managing the Sea for Birds - Fair Isle and adjacent waters, proposed marine management measures beneficial to seabirds.

Birds are just one aspect of the Fair Isle marine environment. This document outlines all the key assets and issues which would benefit from sustainable management. They include:

Support and protection of the island community’s cultural maritime activities and traditions.

Protection of Fair Isle’s rich maritime environment.

Protection of the very important marine archaeological resource.

Landscape protection.

Provision of a rich resource for education spanning all aspects of the curriculum.

Promotion of environmental and cultural tourism.

Provision of a protected nursery area for fish stocks.

Establishment of a "control" site which may be used to compare population dynamics with those from unprotected sites.

Establishment of public approval at a time when people are becoming increasing aware of marine issues and the principle of sustainable management.

Establishment, through an integrated approach to management, of a standard in marine protection and interpretation which will provide a model for marine sites at the national and international level.

It is reasonably simple to design a management programme which addresses all the issues together and takes into account statutory objectives, community well-being, maritime law and above all the environment itself on which the other objectives are founded. The study outlines considerations to be taken into account.

Planning for the future

Fair Isle is a maritime community, the sea is an integral part of the culture and traditions of the isle and the current community considers that it owes it to future generations to ensure that the integrity of the marine resource is maintained. This can only be done through a rational use of resources.

The seas around Fair Isle are now a stressed environment. The community has a higher stake in this environment than any other user because they cannot abandon it in favour of other sites.

This document conveys the collective voice of a community which has, for centuries, been an integral constituent of a rich, fully functioning marine environment. The community seeks to maintain a balanced, ecologically sound relationship with its environment. This can only be achieved by the establishment of integrated marine resource management.

The community and its partners see no obstacle to them seeking an agreement, even without statutory powers, for a management programme to be put in place.

The Fair Isle Marine Partnership having recognised that a consensus between users and interested agencies is necessary for long-term sustainable management arrangements to be enacted, believes that once this is successfully proven, it should be supported and recognised by statutory authority.

This document sets a framework for management by illustrating the many issues and values which would benefit from a management programme.

Principles for management of the Fair Isle marine area are proposed and discussed, including voluntary compliance, conservation objectives, management support, best practice and management implementation.

The primary site conservation objective should be to maintain and enhance the social, cultural and economic well-being of the Fair Isle community, through local sustainable management of the marine resource.

Community Empowerment and Statutory Authority support

This study identifies local, national and European presumptions in favour of the Fair Isle community’s endeavours towards measures which benefit nature conservation, particularly of the marine environment, tourism, sustainable cultural, social and economic development and the maintenance of a viable, balanced island community (e.g. the Natura 2000, European Marine Sites Habitat Directive requirement that "any management of the site should take account of the economic, social and recreational needs of the local people").

Fair Isle is responding positively to the current political philosophy of "community empowerment". However, "community empowerment" can only be enabled by statutory authority approval and support.

SAFEGUARDING OUR HERITAGE - ACTION POINTS

The Fair Isle community perceives an urgency for steps to be taken to safeguard the marine environment. To hasten this process, a series of specific action points are given as pointers towards proper management of the Fair Isle marine resource. They are:

To inform conservation and management for values which have not been summarised or described in depth (e.g. aspects of cultural heritage) undertake procedure of survey (mainly desk-based), analysis, evaluation of significance, conservation policy, consideration of threats and formulation of management strategy. This action is currently being undertaken by FIMETI.

Draw up a prescriptive management plan which addresses the conservation objectives and takes into consideration the issues and measures outlined in the following framework:

the inshore waters up to 5 km from Fair Isle coastline (Figure 4, Zone 1) to be reinstated as a sensitively managed fishery prosecuted by Fair Isle inhabitants, safeguarding the main feeding grounds of Fair Isle seabirds and recognising the status of those waters until as recently as 1984;

plan with relevant bodies fishery management measures/restrictions for the adjacent waters beyond 5 km up to 16 km from the Fair Isle coastline (Figure 4, Zone 2);

in support of a recommended Shetland Fishermen’s Association conservation measure, establish a fisheries box refuge east and south of Fair Isle for protection of a major haddock nursery area (Figure 4, Zone 3);

implement voluntary or compulsory provisions prohibiting ships carrying polluting cargoes within at least 16 km of Fair Isle (Figure 4, Zones 1 and 2) - e.g. through designation of a Marine Environmental High Risk Area;

all zones, including a buffer zone against accidents and spills (Figure 4, Zone 4), should be promoted as unsuitable for oil and gas exploration and production. The means by which this could be achieved should be subject to discussion by the management group;

establish codes of conduct for improvement and/or conservation of specific assets (e.g. marine archaeological sites, shellfish stocks);

apply other, more detailed, recommendations made in Appendix 2.

Through the Fair Isle Marine Partnership seek to achieve a consensus among user groups and other interested parties towards a strategy for sustainable management of the Fair Isle marine resource.

Liaise with statutory, national and international bodies to gain recognition and support, including financial where necessary, for community empowerment in achieving a more integrated approach to managing Fair Isle’s surrounding marine environment.

Set time-scale to include establishment of marine protected area in Fair Isle adjacent waters by year 2001.

Declare a marine protected area based on the above framework and management measures.

Once management measures are in place, the Fair Isle community, in partnership with the Fair Isle Bird Observatory, to take a lead role in:

monitoring and research;

setting codes of conduct within and policing the marine protected area.

The Fair Isle community, in partnership with the Fair Isle Bird Observatory, National Trust for Scotland and other agencies, to take a lead role in:

educational and interpretation programmes;

tourist programmes and development.

Once a management scheme is in place, apply regular review of effectiveness and, if necessary, adjust or strengthen management measures to address the conservation objectives in a dynamic situation.

Many of these issues may be achieved within the current legal framework. A few of the recommended management measures would require new legal provisions. These should be vigorously sought, but should not be allowed to interrupt or halt the process of introducing sensible, sustainable management procedures.