NEWSLETTER: FEBRUARY, 2000

Editor: Elizabeth Riddiford

The Fair Isle Marine Environment and Tourism Initiative (FIMETI) is a partnership between the Fair Isle community, Fair Isle Bird Observatory and The National Trust for Scotland, set up in 1996 to seek proper management and protection of the threatened marine area around Fair Isle. This culminated in a large effort to collect information about Fair Isle’s maritime values and assets and to formulate proposals, in the two documents “Managing the Sea for Birds – Fair Isle and adjacent waters (1997)” and “Safeguarding our Heritage – the Fair Isle marine resource: a community proposal for sustainable management (1999). The Initiative was made possible by a grant from the Scottish Office Rural Challenge Scheme. The Rural Challenge grant ran out in March 1999. This did not deter the participants, however. Our efforts continued throughout the summer – particularly in relation to tourism and the environment – and in September a further period of grant aid was achieved which will boost the isle’s efforts until the end of 2001.

Throughout 1999, efforts were made to extend the FIMETI work, in time, funding and scope, by developing a trans-national project through the Northern Periphery Programme. This has now come to fruition with news, received in September 1999, of our acceptance into the programme.

The Northern Periphery Programme is a Finland-Scotland-Sweden-Norway

Cooperation co-financed by European Commission ERDF Article 10. The objective of the programme is “to contribute to the improvement of services and value creation in northern areas of Finland, Scotland, Sweden and Norway. The programme is focused on the development of new knowledge about innovative and well-working solutions for sustainable business activity, service provision and land use/spatial development.” Developing the sustainable management of natural resources is identified as a key factor, along with provision of services, business development and exchange of good practice. These are exactly the principles which FIMETI has been proposing over a number of years.

The project accepted by the NPP has the title Safeguarding Our Heritage, community development through sustainable resource management in peripheral areas and will be implemented by a partnership called the SafeinHerit Network. The SafeinHerit Network is a partnership of communities and organisations from Scotland, north Norway and Swedish Lapland. The Scandinavian partners are the Nord-Trøndelag County Council (Nord-Trøndelag Fylkeskommune) and Steigen Municipality, Nordland County, in Norway and the community development organisations of Inlandslaget, Vindelälvskommunerna and SOS-kommunerna in Swedish Lapland. The Fair Isle Marine Environment and Tourism Initiative has taken the lead throughout in the preparation and planning of the project and will manage the implementation period too, with the FIMETI coordinator, Nick Riddiford, acting as SafeinHerit Project Leader. FIMETI continues to be a partnership of the Fair Isle community, Fair Isle Bird Observatory and The National Trust for Scotland – providing a strong base to the project..

The Project’s main objective is to develop mechanisms for achieving sustainable development within remote rural areas which have both high environmental quality and fragile economies. This will be addressed by providing a forum for investigating and sharing information of the ways in which social, economic, cultural and environmental issues can be more closely integrated; and by involving local communities in the implementation of practical examples and demonstrations.

Our actions and activities will demonstrate to rural communities throughout the Northern Periphery area the benefits which can accrue at social and economic as well as environmental levels from planned sustainable development which integrates, values and enhances the natural and cultural heritage and safeguards this resource for the future. The demonstration elements will include initiatives of direct economic value and benefit to the communities and promote activities and actions which can continue after the programme has ended. The issues to be addressed comprise practical measures in the spirit of World-wide international environmental programmes and initiatives such as the Rio convention’s Local Agenda 21.

SafeinHerit is taken from the title of our project Safeguarding Our Heritage. Throughout the designated Northern Periphery Programme area, regions and communities share similar characteristics of remoteness, fragile economic base and high natural and cultural heritage value. The project will combine elements of process, information exchange and practical projects which demonstrate the economic attributes of the cultural and environmental heritage for community development. These are rich and varied resources; but they can be lost. Community development in remote, peripheral areas cannot be guaranteed long-term without these resources. The aim of our network of communities and agencies is to demonstrate how thoughtful, innovative practice may safeguard these assets and bring value and confidence to peripheral communities. SafeinHerit becomes a most appropriate short title for our endeavours. By Safeguarding Our Heritage we ensure our future.

As project leaders, FIMETI will be heavily involved in all aspects of the project. However, the Fair Isle marine issues will not be forgotten – and indeed the emphasis on sustainable resource management will allow us to compare the benefits of thoughtful management of Fair Isle’s terrestrial environment (enshrined in management plans drawn up by the islanders themselves) with the still woefully inadequate measures for the marine area. It is hoped that Government will respond positively to the SafeinHerit goals. After all, it is pointless developing an international model for sustainable resource management aimed at benefiting peripheral communities if the statutory agencies do not support the measures required to enact sustainable resource management.

We are informed that the SafeinHerit project was described by members of the project selection committee as “very innovative”. Work has already begun to implement the actions and activities outlined in the project plan. One of the first of these is to set up a SafeinHerit Network web site. This has been done and the first item on the site describes the project in much greater detail. These details can be found at: www.SafeinHerit.net

Further details about the Northern Periphery Programme are given on its web site: www.scotnordic.com/northernperiphery

The Marine Environment

The document Safeguarding our Heritage - the Fair Isle marine resource: a community proposal for its sustainable management (published in September 1998) has been very well received. It has been read at the highest ministerial advisory level, prompting verbal comments that the island has made an “imposing, well argued case”. There have been a series of follow-ups to the document. One of the most important was the official launch of the Fair Isle Marine Partnership. This took place in March at the National Trust for Scotland headquarters, Edinburgh. Presiding over the launch was Lord Sewel, then Scottish Office Minister for Fishing, Agriculture, Forestry and the Environment. The opportunity was taken, by Fiona Mitchell and Nick Riddiford, to reiterate some of the action points outlined in the document Safeguarding our Heritage and bring to the attention of a wider audience the island community’s efforts to seek community empowerment, as promoted by the Scottish Office itself in documents such as Rural Scotland Today: People, Perceptions and Policies.

Feedback following the publication of the FIMETI documents, and continuing consultation with influential people and bodies, is consistently positive and complimentary about the efforts being made by the community. However, the island community is getting very frustrated by the fact that, despite all its efforts and recognition of the strength and logic of its powerful arguments, no practical action has been taken to further our aspirations for the Fair Isle marine environment. These feelings were very much to the fore during discussions between islanders and Joe Sultana when he visited in June to make an independent scientist assessment for the Council of Europe as a precursor to renewal of the Diploma. Dr Sultana certainly took away with him a clear view of the frustrations of the community and the continued threats to Fair Isle’s internationally important marine environment. Islanders were asking why, with the Council of Europe Diploma recognising the role of the community in protecting and enhancing its environment, this was not forming the catalyst for government action to protect the isle’s marine environment.

The reality of maritime-derived threats to the isle’s environment was demonstrated only a couple of weeks later when a tanker The Alandia Stream with 78,000 tonnes of crude oil aboard lost power in the Fair Isle Channel and, but for good fortune in wind and current, would have finished up on Fair Isle shores. The tanker lost power at about 0300 hrs but did not summon assistance until 0900 hrs. It took 12 hours for a tug, steaming from the Moray Firth, to reach her and bring her under control at 2100 hrs. Thus for 18 hours the isle was at the mercy of an oil-laden tanker adrift and helpless. Officially, the tanker came within 6.5 miles of Fair Isle, but islanders observed her at one stage about 2 miles offshore. It was the height of the seabird breeding season and, had the tanker come ashore, it would have been a disaster of the highest magnitude for the internationally important seabird colonies … and for the human population and livestock. This incident occurred in benign summer weather, demonstrating that it is not just terrible winter conditions which cause tanker accidents. If The Alandia Stream had been on the other side of the isle, the moderate SE winds would have put her on the rocks.

Representations were made by the island through the media and Fair Isle’s MP and MSP, and by The National Trust for Scotland at the political level. This may have been the catalyst, in part at least, for the announcement by the Westminster government in September that a tug would be stationed in the Northern Isles for the “six months of winter”. This is a step in the right direction and constitutes the first real sign of action as called for in the document Safeguarding our Heritage. It does not, however, address the issue outlined above of Fair Isle’s vulnerability in the summer months, when its internationally important seabird colonies are in full swing. Fair Isle’s terrestrial area has been designated a Special Protection Area under the EC Birds Directive, yet it remains difficult to envisage how the SPA conservation objectives “to maintain and enhance Fair Isle’s internationally important seabird populations” can be achieved fully if there is no protection against shipping carrying dangerous cargoes at that time.

Fair Isle Marine Environment & Tourism Initiative

Activities

Fair Isle Marine Environment and Tourism Initiative continued to be very active in the period between the end of the Scottish Office Rural Challenge grant, in March 1999, and acceptance as part of a trans-national network into the EU/Norwegian Government Northern Periphery Programme in September.

The main thrust of activity was the production of interpretation materials, the culmination of three years of information gathering as part of the Rural Challenge. These materials comprised a couple of displays and a series of leaflets. The six leaflets from the Rural Challenge work were: The Fair Isle Marine Environment and Tourism Initiative; Exploring the coasts and shores of Fair Isle; Some suggested marine nature walks on Fair Isle; The climate of Fair Isle; Fair Isle Fishing – 1,000 years; Illegal Trawling Prosecutions. The other leaflet, Some Notable Fair Isle shipwrecks, was made possible through a grant from the Marine Environment Foundation. The leaflets were free of charge though the opportunity was given, by means of donations slips and box, to make contributions to further production costs. A large, portable display was mounted at the Community Hall to coincide with visits by holiday cruise ship passengers and on other special occasions, and a smaller display was set up at the Bird Observatory. It was a particularly busy year for cruises and a large number of tourists were exposed to the displays and leaflets as a result. Leaflets are available from Elizabeth Riddiford at Schoolton for a contribution of £2 to cover postage. If you wish to add a little extra to cover further production costs, this will be very gratefully received.

Another form of interpretation was developed during the year with the creation of a Fair Isle maritime and cultural database, made possible by a grant from the Scottish Council Resource Access Network (SCRAN). SCRAN is a Scotland wide Millennium project intended to make Scottish cultural records and information accessible to educational bodies and more generally. The database consists of 2500 records spanning the entire century, comprising descriptive captions of the event, dates and associated information. FIMETI joined in partnership with the George Waterston Memorial Centre & Museum to achieve this. The database, including 250 accompanying photographs, can be found on the SCRAN web site at www.scran.ac.uk

FIMETI has now established its credentials widely. This was illustrated by regular invitations to attend conferences and workshops. Anne Sinclair presented FIMETI work in April 1999 at the transnational conference “Looking after the Future” in North Sutherland. Stewart Thomson Jnr was the FIMETI delegate at a Shetland Biodiversity Action forum in Lerwick in May, and at the Northern Periphery Programme “Common Potential in Northernmost Europe” conference in Oulu, Finland in November. Emma Perring was facilitator at a Papa Stour Marine Special Area of Conservation open meeting for the public at Sandness Community Hall, Shetland in June. Elizabeth Riddiford prepared a travelling FIMETI display to take to a World Education Day event at the Town Hall, Lerwick, Shetland in May but was prevented from attending by poor weather.

In addition, FIMETI was invited to comment on draft reports by the International Centre for Island Technology on Coastal Management Issues, whilst advice was sought on community involvement in resource management by the European Marine Site Officer of the North Uist (Hebrides) Special Area of Conservation; and a contribution on tourism and the marine environment was submitted to the Strategic Plan for Scottish Tourism.

While FIMETI makes a mark in themes of interpretation, consultation and exchange of information, little movement has been witnessed in introducing the management measures called for by the island. As a further attempt to overcome this hurdle, repeated invitations have been sent to government ministers. Lord Sewel cancelled a visit (for the second time) in early summer. He no longer has a role in environmental matters, so invitations have now been sent to Sarah Boyack MSP and Ross Finney MSP, who are Scottish government ministers for the environment and rural affairs respectively, and to Keith Hill MP whose responsibilities as Minister of Transport for London, strangely, includes shipping policy for the UK. Latest indications are that one or more will visit the isle when their programme allows.

Shetland Shellfish Regulatory Order

A proposal to introduce a Shellfish Regulatory Order, managed by the newly formed Shetland Shellfish Management Association, went to public enquiry in August. Fiona Mitchell attended the enquiry, held in Lerwick in August. A written submission, drawn up by Fiona and Nick Riddiford, was also lodged with the enquiry.

The background to the Fair Isle lobster fishery issue is worth explaining. Some years ago, a licensing system was introduced for the commercial fishing of lobsters. For many centuries Fair Islanders have undertaken small-scale lobster potting and sold their catch. The licences were too expensive in relation to any profit taken from this small-scale activity.

Throughout the centuries, Fair Isle lobsters have been caught in a sustainable manner, as from small boats it was only possible to put down small numbers of creels.

In recent years, larger boats from Orkney have visited and laid hundreds of creels in an activity which is clearly unsustainable – evidence is that lobsters of commercial size are effectively wiped out of areas in which the creels were set so that it is not worthwhile returning to the site for a year or more.

The irony is that it has become illegal for Fair Isle lobster fishermen to sell their catch, even though it is clearly a sustainable activity, while non-sustainable actions by an Orkney boat is perfectly legal because they hold a licence. The Shetland (including Fair Isle) area is to come under a regulatory order. However, it is not clear whether the new provisions will be based on sustainability, nor will they exclude the Orkney boats – because the Orkney operators will argue “traditional” use of the Fair Isle site.

Return of Fair Isle waters within 5 km to traditional use by Fair Islanders (see Actions Points in Safeguarding Our Heritage (Pages 19-20)) would recognise the traditions and culture of the island population and promote the premise of sustainable resource management, which should be the key objective of any Council of Europe Diploma site (and arguably, in all environmental resource planning!).

Waiving of licences, or replacement with a more equable system, should be put in place for Fair Islanders to recognise their traditional (“aboriginal”) rights and the very different economic system in existence on Fair Isle. The Fair Isle economy works by everyone having a multi-layered income, based on part-incomes from a range of occupations and jobs. This diversity is essential in peripheral communities far from any commercial/industrial bases or markets; and it contributes enormously to the highly valued quality and skills recognised universally in the Fair Isle community. This way of life gets completely annihilated when circumstances arise whereby an islander must pay £2000 for a licence for an activity which contributes at most a few hundred pounds to his annual income. This problem should be addressed by the Action Point above, but any resolution of this sort should also oblige those Fair Islanders thus empowered, to undertake stock management measures, including monitoring, to demonstrate and ensure that the resource is fished in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Following the public enquiry, at which no objectors attended, the Shellfish (Shetland) Regulatory Order was approved in late September. At a Fair Isle community quarterly meeting, also in September, it was agreed that the island should prepare for the Order by purchasing the necessary licences to be included in the scheme. The meeting agreed that the appropriate licence, expected to cost between £1500 and £2000, be purchased from Fair Isle Community Association funds. Additional costs would be the purchase of the Shetland Regulatory Licence at £100 per annum. A suitable licence has been purchased. The meeting decided that its use and application would be under a local agreement drawn up by the Committee and supported by a development plan. It is unfortunate that the financial outlay is out of proportion to the economic value of the fishery, but the meeting considered that it was the only option available if the community was to have a say in management of Fair Isle lobsters.

Acknowledgements

The work of FIMETI would not have been possible without the full and enthusiastic support of many friends on and off the isle. Every member of the community, from the schoolchildren up, has assisted directly or indirectly with studies, materials, text, photos, artwork, information, advice and encouragement. The same applies to a large and growing band of supporters from “overseas”. Many thanks for your hard work and support for our initiative, including to the many people who contributed photographs and their time to the SCRAN database. We are pleased to acknowledge the Scottish Cultural Resource Access Network and George Waterston Memorial Centre and Museum for co-funding assistance of our SCRAN project. Scottish Office Rural Challenge grant-aid allowed us to set the marine initiative in motion. The support of the European Union/Norwegian Government’s Northern Periphery Programme and co-financing grants from Scottish Natural Heritage, SIC Development Department, the National Trust for Scotland, Shetland Enterprise and Dunrossness Community Council and a gift from the Williamson family in memory of the late Hervør Williamson have permitted us to turn proposals into practical action – as far as current legislation for sustainable resource management will allow us. It is a pleasure to acknowledge this help and to all others who have helped us, financially or otherwise. Finally, a special mention for Anthony Bryant. Anthony has been a key figure behind the scenes from the outset in his position as Director (Highland) of the National Trust for Scotland and has worked tirelessly to ensure that our voice was being heard. He retires shortly. He will be missed, though we know he will retain a close interest in our endeavours.

Send mail to dave.wheeler@fairisle.org.uk with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1999 Fair Isle Marine, Environment & Tourism Initiative
Last modified: February 05, 2002