The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) and SFF Services Limited (SFFSL) were pleased to jointly host delegates from National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Taiwan. NCKU will assist during the planning and development stages at the request of primary developers in Taiwan’s emerging offshore wind industry, and is currently researching interaction and coexistence issues between the offshore wind and fishing industries.
The planned installation of wind turbines off the Changhua City coast has raised concerns for local fishermen, with many worried about the effects on their livelihoods and communities. The NCKU team were interested in hearing about how Scottish fishing communities are dealing with the same issues.
Voicing concerns and finding solutions
The visiting delegates, Associate Professor Yi Chang, Dr. Doreen Chen, and Dr. Astor Huang, were keen to understand the role that SFF plays in voicing fishermen’s concerns to developers, and relevant government agencies. They also asked about the set up and operation of SFFSL, the commercial wing of the SFF, and how this helped the fishing fleet to diversify by providing income for vessels affected by offshore energy development.
Interestingly, the primary differences between our fishing industries focus on vessel type, and size. What became clear is that there are many more similarities, including family and individually owned vessels, and community reliance on successful fishing, and the need for cooperation, diversification, and long-term solutions in a continually changing seascape.
SFF Services Limited provides a range of services, including fisheries liaison (guard) vessels and fisheries liaison personnel, to the energy industries, including offshore oil and gas, offshore wind and renewables, and subsea cable installers, working in Scottish waters.