Attempts by the Scottish Government to introduce fishing controls "through the back door" have eroded the trust of island communities, according to the Hebridean fisherman who was the voice of a chart-topping protest song.
The SNP was forced into an embarrassing climbdown after there was a furious backlash against plans for Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA) in at least 10% of Scotland’s waters.
The proposals to restrict fishing and other human activities in some coastal areas were designed to protect wildlife and the environment.
But members of the fishing industry, Highland and island communities and even some SNP MSPs had raised concerns that the scheme would decimate an already fragile economy.
A song written by Celtic rock outfit Skipinnish which reached number four in the UK download charts, was credited for driving the campaign forward and was the subject of two separate debates in the Scottish Parliament.
A new version of The Clearances Again will be released this week in Gaelic, once more sung by Vatersay fisherman Donald Francis MacNeil. He is joined by Karen Matheson of Capercaillie, internationally renowned folk singers Julie Fowlis and Kathleen MacInnes, broadcaster, Mary Ann Kennedy and ex-Simple Minds star Mick MacNeil.
“Fuadaichean is a powerful reminder of what is at stake if policies and proposals emanating from politicians who have little knowledge, or care, of our culture, traditions and way of life are imposed without psroper consultation or recognition of their impact. "
Skipinnish co-founder Angus MacPhail said the song was reworked as a reminder to governments that any proposals threatening island economies, way of life and "unique culture" would be vociferously opposed and said there was some concern that the proposals might resurface.
READ MORE: Former MP blasts SNP's 'high and mighty' attitude over HPMAs
Fuadaichean, like it’s English version, is written from Mr MacNeil's perspective and is based on his life and experiences as a creel fisherman who has worked the waters off his home island of Vatersay in the Outer Hebrides all his life.
"They [the Scottish Government] can't be trusted because of the way they tried to get away with it in the first place," said the 64-year-old.
"Their approach was basically through the back door - there was no consultation with communities. I would certainly not trust anything they said.
"It seemed like a very good idea to them at the time and they just decided, that's it, let's do it."
DF, as he is known to family and friends, followed in his father’s footsteps and became a fisherman as soon as he left school.
"There are areas like Mingulay and Barra Head that we fish and our concern was that they would target places like if they did go ahead with their closures," he said.
"And if that was the case, it would be devastating to our livelihoods, there is no question about it. We wouldn't be able to survive. We couldn't diversity and go somewhere else, it just wouldn't be viable.
READ MORE: Fishing leader: Ministers have not made case for controls
"There are some areas of over-fishing but mostly that's not done by local boats, it's done by Irish boats and foreign crew who are fishing 24-7, all year round. What we are doing is very seasonal."
He said he was pleased the song had been reworked in Gaelic because although the message is broadly the same, it felt more meaningful to sing it in his mother tongue.
He said: “Fuadaichean is a powerful reminder of what is at stake if policies and proposals emanating from politicians who have little knowledge, or care, of our culture, traditions and way of life are imposed without proper consultation or recognition of their impact. "
The original song was composed by Skipinnish co-founder and fisherman, Angus MacPhail but it was his 78-year-old mother Flora, who has penned the new Gaelic lyrics.
It reached number four in the mainstream UK download charts and remained at number one for over a week in the Worldwide Roots Music chart.
READ MORE: Lorna Slater quizzed on fishing ban amid growing SNP dissent
Mr MacPhail said: “We were delighted that HPMAs were dropped by the Government and we are hugely grateful to all who helped to make that happen but there is a huge amount of work ahead to ensure this situation will not be repeated.
“Fishing and crofting communities are the only places where Gaelic is in natural everyday use as a genuine first language.
"But that would be wiped out overnight by these misguided and counterproductive environmental policies, posing the single biggest threat to the Gaelic language since the mass Highland Clearances of the mid-eighteen hundreds."
Duncan MacInnes, Western Isles Fishermen’s Association said that while HPMAs had been taken off the table, concern remained about the prospect of "other restrictive and unnecessary controls coming.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “As the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero set out to Parliament in June, the proposal, as consulted on, to implement Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) across 10% of Scotland’s seas by 2026 will not be progressed.
"We are taking more time to work with communities, industry, and conservation organisations to protect Scotland’s seas for the benefit of all.
"As a priority this includes completing management measures for our existing Marine Protected Areas network and protecting our Priority Marine Features.
“We will also publish the responses to the consultation on proposals for HPMAs shortly."
Fuadaichean will debut at Celtic Connections 2024 as part of Skipinnish’s 25th Anniversary concert in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on January 20, which is already sold out.
The Clearances Again has been nominated for the “Original Work of the Year” title at the BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards and DF has been nominated for the title of “Gaelic Singer of the Year” as a result of his debut performance.
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