Also in the news / More cable work off Sumburgh, salmon’s economic boost and more…
WORK has taken place to strengthen a section of subsea telecommunications cable off Sumburgh.
The fibre cable was recently laid as part of the Scottish Government’s R100 superfast broadband scheme, in addition to new subsea links to islands like Whalsay and Yell.
The CS Sovereign vessel was back south of Sumburgh recently before heading off again.
A spokesperson for Openreach said work was ongoing to test the routes to “make sure they’re stable and address any snagging issues that crop up at this stage”.
“As part of this post-laying review, contractors have just completed work on strengthening a section of cable near Sumburgh,” they explained.
“They’ll also be carrying out further work over the next couple of weeks, weather permitting, including rock-bagging to anchor cables on the seabed.
“It’s all part of future-proofing the new routes to the islands.”
SCOTTISH salmon now adds £137 million a year to Shetland’s economy, a new study has revealed.
Salmon Scotland’s report on the farm-raised sector shows that its economic contribution to the islands soared by a fifth last year when compared to 2019, driving the post-Covid recovery.
The trade body’s chief executive Tavish Scott said the figures confirm that Scottish salmon is the “backbone of some of Scotland’s most isolated areas”.
The full economic impact has been published amid calls for an overhaul of the what Salmon Scotland calls a “cluttered regulatory and planning system for salmon farming”.
HOSTS who operate short-term accommodation lets in Shetland must now be licensed as part of a new mandatory scheme across Scotland.
The scheme opened on 1 October and anyone who operates short-term letting must obtain a licence from Shetland Islands Council.
It includes B&Bs, guest houses, self-catering premises, AirBnB properties and anyone letting a room in their home.
The national licensing scheme aims to ensure all short-term lets are safe, and to ensure that any complaints and issues faced by neighbours can be addressed effectively.
Existing hosts who have operated their premises for short-term lets before 1 October 2022 have until 1 April 2023 to make an application.
More information on the scheme and a link to apply for a licence can be found on the council’s website.
A SURVEY carried out in June and July this year has indicated that most businesses in the Highlands and Islands were operating at either the same or above their pre-pandemic levels.
However, it also showed a significant decline in exporting activity and in the level of confidence in Scotland’s economic outlook.
Interviews were conducted with 2,719 businesses and social enterprises – 1,043 of which were in the Highlands and Islands region.
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