Orkney 'Coastal Testimonies' presented at the Scottish Parliament

Scottish politicians have been urged to listen to ‘marginalised’ voices within coastal communities, as part of a major multi-media touring exhibition showcased at the Scottish Parliament featuring testimonies from Orkney and around the country.

The Coastal Testimonies project features over 60 portraits of people all around Scotland and testimony about their first-hand experiences of Scotland’s inshore seas. The exhibition has been commissioned and curated by the Our Seas Coalition, an alliance of 140+ coastal businesses, community groups, fishermen’s associations and environmental organisations who are campaigning for the environmental recovery of Scotland’s coastal marine environment and the revival of sustainable inshore fisheries.

A parliamentary reception featuring the exhibition was attended by politicians from all major parties, including Orkney's MSP Liam McArthur.

Speaking on behalf of the Our Seas Coalition at the Scottish Parliament, Alasdair Hughson, scallop diver and chair of the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation said:

“We need clear plans that acknowledge the public benefits and support for protecting our seas and safeguarding sustainable inshore fishing. This means urging government action and effective parliamentary scrutiny to make sure that such plans are implemented. This is why I implore our MSPs to take some time to read through the testimonies and consider the power of the voices within our own communities. There is bravery in these testimonies. It's difficult to speak up. We must change. We are looking for you to make these changes and decisions for our future generations. “

Among the Orcadian testimonies included in the project are the below.

"I am the last fisherman on Papa Westray but we need to be caring for future generations. You're shooting yourself in the foot if you don't take care of the environment. We don't want to destroy anything because I need to make a living tomorrow, next week and next year." - Douglas Hourston, creel fisher, Papa Westray

"At the moment the level of knowledge of our seas in localised areas is really low and a lot of the policy makers rely on much higher level data that doesn't necessarily take into account what's going on at the local scale. That needs to change and we need people to help us do that." - Emma Neave- Webb, marine scientist, Sanday

"I run two scallop diving boats.I don't call it fishing, I call it harvesting because we're going over the same areas year after year so we just harvest the scallops, the large scallops. There is nothing better than the feeling you get when you're down picking scallops and it's a good healthy sea bed. It's the difference between an oasis and a desert. And as divers, we see it first hand, we're about the only ones that are down in the seabed and see it, so you need to start listening to what we've got to say.

"The government's been found wanting in their management. Nobody seems to want to make difficult decisions. Difficult decisions have to be made. We've got to be way ahead of where we are. We've got to make difficult decisions and they've got to be done." - Fred Brown, seafood business owner, St Margaret's Hope

Commenting, Orkney's MSP Liam McArthur said:

"I congratulate the Our Seas Coalition on this important piece of work. Coastal Testimonies presents a powerful and diverse array of perspectives, from commercial fishers, skippers and sea anglers to local businesses and community groups. Needless to say, Orkney voices feature prominently.

"These testimonies paint a clear picture about the pressure on our marine environment and traditional inshore fisheries.

"What stands out is the call for more localized decision-making and a recognition that sustainable fishing practices can support livelihoods, local economies and the environment.

“These voices from Orkney and around Scotland show that protecting our marine environment and promoting the interests of coastal communities are fundamentally interconnected. That is a message that must inform policy and decisions going forward.”