widget/exchange-29
widget/exchange-30widget/exchange-33
widget/exchange-31

News / Isles’ ‘challenge’ to replace £20-30 million of EU funding

SIC development director Neil Grant.

IT WILL be a “challenge” to replace the £20-30 million in European Union funding that comes to the isles every year once Britain exits the EU, a meeting of the Shetland Partnership Board heard on Tuesday.

SIC development director Neil Grant presented a briefing note in which he outlined that it may be necessary to commission research to assess the economic impact of June’s referendum, which resulted in a 52-48 margin in favour of leaving the EU.

In Shetland 56.5 per cent voted to remain, which Grant said indicated a result that “while seemingly unequivocal, may not represent some of our larger industry sectors’ perspectives” – noting the widespread opposition to the EU within the fishing industry in particular.

He said it was essential that “hard data must be collated” and government lobbying by the public sector and key industries in Shetland would be needed.

Some industries are already getting on with that job, Grant noted, and he highlighted the need to impress upon government the huge role European nationals play in the public and private sector workforces of these islands.

offset-carousel/post-mobile/0

“We really need to try hard to protect the workforce,” Grant told BBC Radio Shetland, “and from a Shetland community point of view, it’s really important that we all and the UK government understand the value that the European workforce in Shetland provides.”

Grant said Shetland College was “maintaining a watching brief” because any move it made following the referendum result “could easily become null and void depending on what the negotiations throw up”.

He said likely implications for colleges and universities include changes to funding streams currently accessed via the EU such as ERASMUS+. There could also be an impact on activity between countries and on the ability to attract students from EU countries.

The NAFC Marine Centre has already conducted research on behalf of the Shetland Fishermen’s Association showing that 58 per cent of fish and shellfish landed in the UK’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) was caught by non-UK boats.

Become a member of Shetland News

 

Meanwhile, Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) chairman Bertie Armstrong said following more talks with the UK government in London on Wednesday that “Brexit for fishing is not the same as Brexit for most other industries”, describing it as a “sea of opportunity” that would bring back control of some of the world’s fishing grounds in the world.

Become a member of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.

 
Categories
widget/exchange-62widget/pd_widget-6widget/exchange-53widget/pd_widget-7widget/exchange-63widget/exchange-54widget/pd_widget-8widget/exchange-55widget/pd_widget-9widget/exchange-56

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Have you considered becoming a member of Shetland News?

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please consider paying for membership and get the following features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.