大象传媒

Dylan Winter reports:
Shetland has grown rich on the back of fish and oil. I wanted to know how well the islands were prepared for the impending demise of the oil industry and massive reductions in fish quotas.

I spent a day on a 75 foot fishing boat out in the choppy waters to the West of the Islands. We headed out into icy waters of the Atlantic, our every move carefully observed by literally thousands of gulls and gannets.

As the nest were pulled to the surface the sea and the sky were obliterated by a flapping and squawking mass of birds. The fishermen were after haddock. But the sea birds were after the small fry and non-target species the fishermen were discarding.

I learned two things: Shetland fisherman face financial ruin if proposed cut backs in fish quotas are imposed and my stomach is not nearly as tough as I thought it was. Years of sailing yachts and dinghies had not prepared me for the gut-wrenching motion of a round bottomed fishing boat.

Within an hour of leaving port I had parted company with my breakfast. For the next 12 hours I could not leave the heaving deck as my stomach repeatedly tried empty itself.

It normally takes two weeks for human stomachs to come to terms with the motion of a Shetland fishing boat.

The next day I also talked to people who are involved in bringing new industry to the islands - like the Valhalla Brewery on Unst, Shetland's most northerly island. My final trip was to the Sullom Voe refinery itself to see if the management believed future generations would look back on the oil era as having had a positive or negative impact on life on the islands.

So how does the future look for Shetland?

The oil money will certainly dry up, the fishing will continue to lurch from crisis to crisis, but it is my guess that the Shetlanders will continue to thrive - the investment in education and internet connectivity has produced a generation of well educated and computer savvy young people.

The Shetlanders will survive - just as they have for the past 5,000 years. They have a strong society, a love of music and an appreciation of their natural blessings.

View pictures of Dylan Winter's trawler trip>>

More pictures from Dylan Winter's trip>>

Shetland: Part One>>