Hans J Marter

15 March, 2006

SHETLAND Islands Council is split over whether to reject outright a proposal to turn the waters around the islands into marine national park or to enter initial discussions on the subject.

A move by Whalsay and Skerries councillor Josie Simpson to throw out the proposal and concentrate Shetland's efforts on gaining local control over its own waters was defeated by just one vote at yesterday's (Tuesday) meeting of the SIC's infrastructure committee.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has been asked by the Scottish Executive to draw up a shortlist of potential candidates to become the country's first marine national park, which might be designated as early as 2008.

Shetland features halfway down an initial shortlist, with areas such as the Argyll coast and Skye plus the smaller isles of the Inner Hebrides in pole position to become the pilot marine park.

Yesterday, former fishermen's leader councillor Simpson, tried to convince his fellow councillors not to entertain the idea at all.

Instead, Shetland should concentrate on its efforts to secure as much control as possible over local waters out to a limit of 12 miles, rather than give in to an environmentalist agenda, he said.

"I know how SNH operate. It would be their ideal if there would be no fishery around Shetland.

"Environmentalists would close the North Sea for fishing and oil exploration if they would get their way," he said.

Councillor Frank Robertson, a board member of the SSMO which administers the isles' shellfish regulating order, added that many fishermen were concerned what impact a national park designation would have on their livelihoods.

But other councillors argued that it was important to be involved in the evolving discussions and added that the potential benefits of a designation might outweigh the threats and uncertainties.

Drew Ratter said that major fish retailers would now not buy any fish that was not from "sustainable sources", and Bill Manson added that in the "long run" a marine national park designation for Shetland might be "sensible".

Councillors eventually decided to set up a small working group "to collect information about the proposal and co-ordinate public consultation".

Councillors Josie Simpson, Sandy Cluness, Jim Henry, Iris Hawkins, Drew Ratter and Frank Robertson will now join a number of senior council officers on the group.