Over my years focusing on maritime affairs I developed when I presented SEASCAPES on RTE Radio, the use of the description…. “an island nation…”It has become part of the lexicon of language, often referred to by politicians and business figures. I realised it had made impact when I heard Ryanair’s boss Michael O’Leary used it in part of his regular hyperbole. However, I wonder if the Irish public generally, fully appreciate that they live on an island and cannot get off it unless they cross water. When they get aboard a Ryanair flight, or that of any other airline, or avoid the awfulness of crowded airports by sailing away from the island on a ferry, do they then appreciate that they live on, by geographical placement, a relatively small island by international perception, on the western periphery of the Atlantic and the approaches to the European mainland?
In the situation of being islanders, does the population understand the realities of food production and the importance of national self-sufficiency in this regard, because of being an island? Our history shows that an Irish Government did not when World War Two isolated the nation and it had to create a national shipping line to survive? Not that subsequent governments showed much consideration or understanding when they made Irish Shipping the first State company to be liquidated.
During the General Election campaign there was a lot of attention devoted to farming. Rightly so. Much less to fishing, even though political parties did, eventually, include fishing in their portfolios. But I did not see much appreciation that fishermen too, are food producers. There was a lot of talk about ‘economic stability’. What about the ‘stability’ of the fishing industry in the midst of crisis? “The richest waters in Europe – the poorest return..” encapsulates the problems of the industry, created by political neglect and overbearing focus on foreign investment. Why no such focus and investment in national food production, from the sea and from the land?
I have been asked the question – ‘Who are Marine Protected Areas for?’ quite a few times recently. When I begin to explain what I understand of the process, I realise the old communications adage that, when you cannot easily explain, there may be a problem with the answer. The concept of protecting the oceans, the seas, the waters around our island, is commendable, particularly with the pressures on the marine space these days. But, with offshore renewable energy demanding space, with MPAs, as I’ve tried to point out – the marine spatial pressure is going to become a major issue.
I’m still wondering about that question – who are MPAs intended for?Answers welcome.
