OUR LAND, SEAS AND ENVIRONMENT

PROTECTING OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

  1. Create a Farming and Wildlife Advisory officer to support farmers, crofters and landowners to protect wildlife and promote biodiversity

  2. Make use of central government grants to conserve and restore peatlands

  3. All new major infrastructure proposals on peatland are subject to independent carbon payback calculations

  4. Revise roadside verge mowing schemes to encourage more wildflowers, bees and other pollinators

  5. Increase and incentivise the availability of land for tree planting and rewilding

  6. Work with the Scottish Government to update its peatland carbon calculator to take into account the latest research on the effects of new developments in peatland environments

SUSTAINING FISHERIES AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

We recognise the unique role of fishing in the historic, cultural and economic life of Shetland. We wish to see the fishing industry develop in a way that is sustainable and which contributes positively to the marine environment.


  1. Campaign for effective and impartial enforcement of current regulations particularly in respect of unregistered landings, dangerous and intimidatory behaviour at sea and the discarding of fishing gear and other waste at sea.

  2. Work with Shetland UHI to support research to produce more high quality data on local fish populations and issues to guide Marine Scotland and local fishing crews.

  3. Campaign for the replacement of the present, wasteful quota system with best-practice regulations demonstrated in Faroe and Norway

  4. Involve local fishers in all negotiations around the development of the offshore wind industry in Shetland waters

  5. Campaign to end the commercial use of small hooks which target undersized fish