Minutes April 2023 public meeting
TCC Survey on ferry disruption for Tiree residents/business
TCC has now launched a survey to allow residents and business owners to capture the impacts (financial or otherwise) of the current disruption to ferry services. Responses will be collated to give an overall sense of the impacts, as well as individual examples potentially being used as case studies (if respondents indicate they are happy for us to do so – that part is up to you).
Please complete the survey here: https://forms.gle/nKtJ8GcoxNTzsX137
HPMAs – full statement by TCC and Tiree Trust
THE PROSPECT OF AN HPMA AROUND TIREE AND COLL:
Statement from Tiree Community Council and Tiree Community Development Trust
It is not an exaggeration to say that the designation of the waters used by the Tiree fishing fleet – from Skerryvore to the Cairns of Coll – as a Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA) poses an existential threat to the Tiree community.
The island’s population at the 2011 Census had declined to 653, a 15% fall over the previous 10 years. This is perilously close to being non-viable. Our secondary school roll is now 30, and an increasing number of young people are choosing to transfer to Oban to complete their education. Social capital has been hollowed out and many voluntary committees are under strength. The Tiree community is hanging on by its fingertips.
Tiree, known as the ‘Hawaii of the North’, is internationally famous for its water sports and marine wildlife tourism. If HPMA rules are interpreted strictly, these would be restricted. Future developments that hold out the prospect of a more sustainable future for the island – developments such as the construction of a breakwater to protect the island’s exposed harbour, a fixed link to Coll, shellfish aquaculture or seaweed farming – would become almost impossible.
Tiree has been a centre of fishing since Viking times, becoming a commercial exporter of fish in the 1840s. Fishing remains one of the three legs that supports the island’s economy, along with tourism and crofting.
The island’s small harbour received a major upgrade in 2020, thanks to a £1.1 million investment from the Scottish Government, HIE and the Tiree Community Development Trust. From two boats in 1995, the local fleet is now nine strong providing 20 full time jobs. The annual catch of crab and lobster has a value of around £1,000,000. A quarter of the children in P4 and below (14 out of 59) come from fishing families. It has been a real success story.
The Tiree current fleet uses fixed-line creels, which have little impact on the sea bed beyond the prey species.
The most crucial point is this: Milton harbour is shallow, tidal and relatively unprotected. This means that the largest boats that can berth there safely are less than 10 m in length. These are day boats. They simply cannot steam off to new fishing grounds if there are local restrictions. If the Tiree fleet cannot work local waters, there will be no fishing boats, no fishermen, and no fishing families. It is a binary choice.
Even partial designation would have the same effect. The Tiree fishermen need the whole area to take advantage of shelter as weather systems sweep over the island, and to work the ground less intensively and more sustainably.
Tiree Community Council and Tiree Community Development Trust have no comment to make about the concept of HPMAs. But we will strongly oppose the creation of an HPMA around Tiree and Coll. It would be the end of our community.
Tiree Community Development Trust
Tiree Community Council
14 March 2023
HPMA consultation – TCC / Tiree Trust joint press release
EDIT: The deadline for the consultation has now been delayed to April 17th and can be completed here
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE: THE ISLE OF TIREE RESPONDS TO THE HIGHLY PROTECTED MARINE AREAS CONSULTATION.
“We would be wiped out overnight with one stroke of the pen”.
Tiree Community Council and the Tiree Community Development Trust have raised grave concerns in response to the Government’s Highly Protected Marine Areas consultation saying, “It is not an exaggeration to say that the designation of the waters used by the Tiree fishing fleet – from Skerryvore to the Cairns of Coll – as a Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA) poses an existential threat to the Tiree community.”
Tiree’s small harbour received a major upgrade in 2020, thanks to a £1.1 million investment from the Scottish Government, HIE and the Tiree Community Development Trust.
From two boats in 1995, the local fleet is now nine strong providing 20 full time jobs. The annual catch of crab and lobster has a value of around £1,000,000 and a quarter of the children in P4 and below come from fishing families.
“One boat’s worth of economic impact.”
Local fisherman Neil MacPhail said, “My boat alone puts food on the table for eleven people. One boat’s worth of economic impact is huge in a community such as Tiree. It’s the only industry in the island which has genuinely bucked the depopulation trend. If this landed on top of us, we would be wiped out overnight with one stroke of the pen on a chart.”
Tiree’s population at the 2011 Census had declined to 653, a 15% fall over the previous 10 years. The secondary school roll is now 30, and an increasing number of young people are choosing to transfer to Oban to complete their education.
Rhoda Meek, Chair of the Tiree Community Development Trust said, “Our island, as a thriving community, is perilously close to being non-viable. Social capital has been hollowed out and many voluntary committees are under strength. The Tiree community is hanging on by its fingertips. If the Tiree fleet cannot work local waters, there will be no fishing boats, no fishermen, and no fishing families. It will be the end of our community.”
ENDS
FURTHER INFORMATION & CONTACTS
Rhoda Meek (Chair of Tiree Community Development Trust) and Neil MacPhail, (Fisherman) are both available for comment.
Rhoda Meek: 07771394030
Neil MacPhail: 07747791400
IMAGES
“One boat’s worth of economic impact”
This image features the crew and families who make their living from just one of the boats in Tiree, belonging to Neil MacPhail. “One boat worth of economic impact.”
Further images and video are available at the following link – https://photos.app.goo.gl/kQ3nRGafFaKGxY3e7. Please get in touch with rhodameek@gmail.com for high res copies and HD raw footage. No credits required.
Minutes March 2023 public meeting
Tiree Community Council – March 8th 2023 public meeting
Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday 8 March 2023 at 7pm. This will be a hybrid meeting, taking place in the Trust Office Board Room, Crossapol, and via Zoom
TIREE COMMUNITY COUNCIL (TCC)
AGENDA
- Welcome by Phyl Meyer, Convenor
- Apologies
- Declarations of interest
- Minutes of last meeting
- Matters arising: including report on community garden
- Correspondence
- New members of TCC: Angus John MacKechnie and other possible candidates
- Argyll and Bute Council Budget meeting: lessons learned and thanks to ward councillors
- Tiree Customer Service Point: possibilities for development
- Ferries: reports of meetings from Tim Arkless and Phyl Meyer; re-formation of the Tiree Transport Forum; strengthening links with Coll Transport Forum; postponed meeting with Angus Campbell
- Fishing: HMPA update
- Phone box project update
- Planning applications
- Invitation of Jenni Minto MSP to the next meeting
- AOCB
- Date and venue of next meeting
This meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, those wishing to attend in person can do so at the Trust Office, Island Centre, from 6:50pm. It would be helpful to let us know you plan to attend in person so we can plan for numbers – phyl@tireecommunitycouncil.co.uk
Those wishing to join remotely can do so using the following Zoom link:
Join Zoom Meeting
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