Celtic rockers Skipinnish has released a song in protest at the Scottish Government’s plans to introduce Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA) around Scotland’s waters.
A consultation that ends on April 17, the song The Clearances Again will be released tomorrow.
With lyrics written by Angus MacPhail, one of the founder members of the band, who took up fishing out of Barra to supplement his income during the Covid pandemic called on people to download the song.
It features vocals from 64-year-old lifelong Vatersay fisherman Donald Francis (DF) MacNeil.
Sneak peek of ‘The Clearances Again’
Here’s a sneak peek at our song 'The Clearances Again’ featuring Donald Francis MacNeil which will go live on Friday. The song is sung by our long term friend, fisherman and singer Donald Francis MacNeil.
Link here to pre-order the song. https://t.co/SmnaYvvzBg pic.twitter.com/Rqgbwhq0Bv
— SKIPINNISH (@Skipinnish) April 12, 2023
In a post introducing the song, Mr MacPhail said: “Here’s a sneak peek at our song The Clearances Again featuring Donald Francis MacNeil which will go live on Friday.
“The song is sung by our long term friend, fisherman and singer Donald Francis MacNeil.”
In protest of Clearances
The song is in protest at the HPMA plans that the Scottish Government is currently consulting people on.
Yesterday, Mull fisherman Kenny Turnbull said the proposals would mean a fundamental change to life on the islands.
If approved, HPMAs will see some of Scotland’s coastal and inshore waters closed off to all fishing, aquaculture and infrastructure developments.
By 2026, fishing would be banned in at least a tenth of Scottish waters.
Mr MacPhail, who is originally from the Isle of Tiree but now fishes out of Barra, said: “These proposals cannot be allowed to go ahead. They must be opposed and sunk.
“They pose the biggest peacetime risk to our communities since the Highland Clearances and give zero regard to the effective local management of these waters.”
To pre-download the song, click here.
The consultation can be viewed on the Scottish Government’s website, with views to be recorded by April 17.
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