Tha Murray MacLeòid a’ faighneachd: Cò idir a tha seasamh còraichean nan eilean?

Bho shealladh nan eilean, shaoileadh tu uaireannan gu bh’eil Dùn Èideann air taobh eile na gealaich.

Cuiridh na molaidhean às dha ge bith dè a tha air fhàgail de ghnìomhachais an iasgaich. (Dealbh: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

[English-language version below]

Chan e dìreach nach eil na ceanglaichean-siubhail – air muir, anns an iarmailt agus air tìr – a-riamh air a bhith cho cugallach, co-dhiù na mo beatha-sa, ach tha beàrn mhòr eadar na gluasadan poileasaidh a tha a’ tachairt agus na feumalachdan a tha aig coimhearsnachdan iomallach.

Tha e duilich a dhèanamh a-mach dè dìreach as coireach ris: an e dìth tuigse, dìth diù no dìth comais, ach chan eil cus coltas ann gu bheil na tha math dha na h-eileanan a’ tighinn a-steach air gnothaichean.

Am measg iomadach rud eile, tha sinn a-nis a’ faicinn molaidhean a’ tighinn air adhart a bheir bacadh mòr air na dh’fhaodar a dhèanamh aig muir, chun na h-ìre agus gun cuir e às dha ge bith dè a tha air fhàgail de ghnìomhachais an iasgaich.

Agus chan e sin a-mhàin. Chan fhaodar fiù ‘’s slat iasgaich a chleachdadh, no iasgach sam bith a dhèanamh aig muir mar chur-seachad.

Dhà no thrì fhaochagan a chruinneachadh bhon chladach? Dìochuimhnich mu dheidhinn. Feamainn a thogail airson a’ ghàrraidh… eucoir!

‘S ann a rèir choltais airson àrainneachd na mara a dhìon a tha a h-uile càil a tha seo, ach leis cho fada ‘s a tha na molaidhean casg a’ dol, ‘s ann a shaoileadh thu gu bh’eil rudeigin nas buirbe air a chùlaibh – eileanaich a chronachadh airson a bhith a’ fuireach air eileanan.

Le na molaidhean a tha seo, bidh e an ìre mhath do-dhèanta dha duine sam bith càil a dhèanamh timcheall na mara. Smaoinich fhèin na bhios sin a’ ciallachadh.

Nuair a bhathas gan dealbh – ann an oifisean fad às a’ choireigin – an robh idir duine ann le gu leòr de sgot a thuigeadh a’ bhuaidh a bhiodh aige seo air eileanaich agus air eileanan, gu h-eaconamaigeach, gu sòisealta is gu cultarail. No an e nach robh e gu diofar.

Bu chòir a ràdh nach eil ann ach molaidhean an-dràsta agus tha co-chomhairleachaidh a’ dol air adhart airson beachdan a shireadh, ach bha gu leòr de dhaoine an àiteigin a’ smaoineachadh gun robh seo iomchaidh gu leòr airson a chur air adhart gu h- oifigeil.

Mar a thuigeas duine le leth-chiall, tha daoine air am fàgail feargach agus clisgeach (nas miosa na bha; ma ghabhas sin a bhith), le aon iasgair ag ràdh gun toir seo an aon buaidh air na h-eileanan ‘s a thug na h-uachdarain a dh’fhuadaich na daoine anns an 19mh linn.

Anns na h-Eileanan Siar, ann an Tiriodh agus air fad an taobh an iar, tha daoine a’ dol air an casan – agus ‘s beag an t-iongnadh.

Leis mar a tha daoine – gu sonraichte Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is gnì omhachas an iasgaich – air bruidhinn a-mach mu dheidhinn, tha fhios gun tig atharrachadh a’ choireigin air na molaidhean.

Ged nach biodh ann ach aon phrionnsabal, sìmplidh, cinnteach ri chur an sàs: gur bith dè an truailleadh a tha air tachairt air àrainneachd na mara, chan e iadsan a tha a’ fuireach anns na h-eileanan as motha as coireach ris.

Ach, tha puing fharsaing eile an seo cuideachd. Cò idir a tha seasamh còraichean nan eilean anns na seòmraichean far a bheil a’ ghòraich seo a’ tachairt? Carson, a-rithist is a-rithist, a tha co-dhùnaidhean poilitigeach gan dèanamh a tha a’ fàgail nan eilean air dheireadh agus a’ toirt droch bhuaidh air ar coimhearsnachdan.

Tha e a’ fàgail droch bhlas, agus chan eil gnothaich aige ri truailleadh sam bith anns an àrainneachd.

English-language version:

From an island vantage point, Edinburgh can sometimes feel a million miles away. It’s not just that travel connections – sea, air or rail – have never been so unreliable, but there’s a gulf as wide as the ocean in terms of the policy agenda and the needs and demands of the periphery.

It’s hard to ascertain whether it’s through ignorance, a lack of care or just incompetence, but there’s precious little understanding at play of what it requires to keep rural communities alive. The latest wheeze to come out of the policy wonks is a Draconian extension of marine protection areas around the Outer Hebrides to the extent that not only will it devastate what’s left of the local fishing industry – already operating under severe restrictions in terms of where they can go and what they can catch – but it will also even extend to banning recreational activity.

Picking winkles on the beach? Forget it. Seaweed collection for fertilising the garden? You’ll be branded a criminal. Under these proposals, the marine environment around the islands will become a virtual no-go for human activity.

When they were being devised, no doubt in some comfy, air-conditioned office far away from the islands, was there no one at all who had the gumption to realise the effect on the ground, economically, socially and culturally? Or was it just that it didn’t matter? It is, of course, important to note that these are only proposals at this stage and a formal consultation is underway, but someone in officialdom thought them worthy enough to warrant formal consideration.

Understandably, the reaction in the islands has been one of shock and dismay, with one fisherman claiming it will do for the islands what the 19th-century landlords did – decimate them of people. Another Tiree fisherman who operates a small boat said his business will be finished as a result, simple as.

Given the groundswell of opinion that has started to emerge against these ridiculous proposals, the political dimension will surely see them being watered down – if only to avoid a fundamental injustice being perpetrated: whatever damage has been done to the marine environment, it is not those living on the islands who are most to blame and they should therefore not suffer the most.

But there is a wider point at play here, too. Who on earth is standing up for the needs of rural communities in the corridors of power? Why, time and time again, do policy decisions made in Scotland actively conspire to make life more difficult and challenging for people who desire a rural existence. Maybe it’s time for a Rural People Recognition Act. It all just leaves a bad taste in the mouth, and it’s nothing to do with any kind of environmental pollution.