The Shetland candidate for next year’s Scottish elections has accused the SNP of shortchanging fishermen.
The SNP government has been accused of “short-changing” Shetland fishermen.
Analysis by The Shetland Times found only five per cent of the Scottish government’s Marine Fund had been given to Shetland organisations since 2020, despite Shetland producing over 20 per cent of Scottish seafood during that period.
The analysis has provoked criticism of SNP “hypocrisy” after nationalist politicians attacked the UK government for similarly disproportionate funding in the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund last week.
Shetland’s Liberal Democrat candidate for next year’s Holyrood elections is Emma MacDonald.
She said: “Both the UK and Scottish governments have a poor record when it comes to delivering fairness for island and coastal communities – and Shetland is paying the price for that neglect.
“It’s deeply disappointing to see that, despite Shetland producing around a fifth of Scotland’s seafood, our isles have received just five per cent of the Scottish government’s Marine Fund.
“That simply isn’t fair, and it highlights the same flawed approach that SNP MSPs have been so quick to criticise in others.
“Our local fishing and seafood sectors are the backbone of Shetland’s economy. They deserve better than to be short-changed by a government that claims to champion rural and island communities.
“Anyone who wants to represent our islands must be prepared to call out this hypocrisy from the SNP. They can’t have it both ways - demanding fairness from the UK government while failing to deliver it for Shetland.
“Our local fishing and seafood sector have had a difficult enough time already with the risks around HPMAs [Highly Protected Marine Areas] and the impact of proposed offshore wind developments.
“Shetland deserves better from both our governments."
Isles MP Alistair Carmichael added: “If you wanted an illustration of SNP hypocrisy on fishing you could not ask for much better than this.
“They call out Scotland getting a poor proportion from the new UK fund, while short-changing Shetland fishermen. They are doing exactly what they accuse the UK government of – giving our local fishing industry just a fraction of what we deserve.
“This is all par for the course from a party which tried to cripple our fishing communities using top-down HPMAs just a few years ago, in partnership with the Scottish Greens. They do not understand our communities and they have contempt for our priorities. The only way to defend our interests is to stand up to the SNP in the Scottish government just as much as to the UK government.”
He added: “If the SNP really cared about fair fisheries funding they would put their money where their mouth is – and guarantee a fair proportion for Shetland going forward.”
The Scottish government this week blamed Brexit for a lack of overall funds, adding the Marine Fund was “demand-led” and that most of the applications it received for funding from Shetland had been approved.
SNP Holyrood candidate, Hannah Mary Goodlad, said the Scottish fund had already delivered better value for Shetland than it would have under Westminster’s population-determined allocations.
“If it were based on population like the Westminster fund, Shetland would receive 0.4 per cent,” she said.
“That would be unfair, and that’s what the UK does.”