Ken Collins, Chairman of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), has written to the UK Minister for shipping expressing SEPA's support for the provision of year-round emergency towing vessels for the Minches, Pentland Firth and Fair Isle Channel.

Currently, tug boats are stationed in these waters only during the winter months. However, SEPA believes that the potential for significant pollution of these sensitive waters is high all the year round, as evidenced by a number of incidents in recent years. For example: two vessels were lost in October 1995, a few days before the tug came on station for the winter; shortly after the tug had left in 1996, the Westminster, carrying 80,000 tonnes of crude oil, lost power off the West coast; in September 1999, the Omanza ran into the coast of Lewis and most of its 130 tonnes of diesel was spilt with localised environmental and economic impacts.

Ken Collins spent some time in Orkney and in Shetland recently on fact finding visits. "Our local SEPA staff took me round their areas, familiarising me with many of the issues they deal with in their day to day work. This strengthened my appreciation of the superb, unique, yet sensitive nature of the environment and the economies of these areas.

"Shipping is an issue over which SEPA does not have a remit. However, SEPA is responsible for pollution prevention and control in Scotland and believes that all reasonable measures should be taken to prevent pollution before it happens. The environmental impacts of a major shipping incident would be extremely serious, especially in the summer when all the seabirds are in the area for the breeding season. The economic impacts on fragile local economies in these areas, which depend on activities like fisheries and tourism, could be devastating."

In his letter to Lord Macdonald of Tradeston, Ken Collins says: "The area is environmentally sensitive, containing as it does some of the richest habitats in the northern hemisphere. The economy of the area is heavily dependent on the actual and perceived cleanliness of the environment. There have been a number of minor accidents and near misses since 1995 in the non-winter period when no tug was present. There are also cases of non-accidental pollution which anecdotal evidence suggests diminish when tugs are present to fulfil a policing role as well as their emergency functions. We appreciate that the tugs are funded by agencies other than ourselves. We believe, however, that the benefits of year round emergency vessel towing provision would be substantial."

1. The Letter to Lord Macdonald was sent by Ken Collins on 10 July 2000.
   
2. Concern about the issue of potential pollution due to lack of year round tug provision was first raised by SEPA's North Regional Board and was subsequently discussed by the main Board at its meeting on 27 June. The relevant Board paper (SEPA 41/00) can be found on the SEPA Website.
   
3. Shipping matters are not devolved to Scotland and come under the portfolio of Lord Macdonald of Tradeston, Minister of State for Transport, at the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.