Welcome to the Voice for October. Our mixed bag of delights this month contains discussion of some issues that are, frankly, not delightful at all, such as the proposal to enlarge the Lamlash Bay fish farm, exploitation of the Arctic, and denial of climate change. But we also include much that is good about life on Arran and elsewhere. It is all a reminder of humanity’s ability to cooperate, to create, and to enjoy, but also to be selfish, blinkered, and destructive. Which aspects will win in the end, and should we be optimistic or pessimistic?
Fish Farm-ageddon
With the announcement by Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) that it intends to submit an even more expansive planning proposal for its fish farm in Lamlash Bay the community of Arran finds itself in another battle to save its sea from the harm caused by an expanded fish farm. The community of Arran had thought it had secured a hard won victory against the SSC only to learn a few weeks after an original planning application (‘called in’ by the Scottish Government) had been withdrawn that a larger proposal was to be lodged. The new proposal will be for a far greater increase in the size of the fish farm than previously proposed and will in fact increase the potential biomass of fish up to 2500 tonnes - which is the legal maximum allowed under current regulations. But worse was to come. The SSC have been quoted as saying that Arran is a strong production area and the company wish to strengthen and expand their operations. We as a community should be concerned that Lamlash Bay (known as St Molios) is being used to establish a precedent - if it is successful SSC will see a green light for expansion around the Arran coast.
Scottish Ministers are caught out!
Scottish Ministers tried unlawfully to protect the worst-performing fish farms from public scrutiny. Scottish Ministers have been ordered to disclose the names of Scotland’s ‘liciest’ salmon farms to Salmon and Trout Conservation Scotland. The Scottish Information Commissioner has decided that Scottish Ministers tried unlawfully to protect the worst-performing fish farms from public scrutiny. The Scottish Information Commissioner has published a…
Gelos Duo concert
Arran’s Music Society has now decided by unanimous vote at the Annual General Meeting to change its name to Music Arran. This is snappier, and I hope will convince the doubters, especially younger doubters, that the society is not a bunch of old fuddy-duddies. “Music” does not just mean “classical” music. However, October’s offering, in the Community Theatre at Arran high School at 7.30 pm on Saturday, October 21st, is largely “classical” – but don’t let that put anybody off.
The Arts on Arran
For the last 6 years I have worked as a Project Manager within the arts sector, after graduating with Film and Media from the University of Stirling. I've been lucky enough to work with a wide range of artists practising various art forms, from visual artists, musicians, physical theatre performers, circus artists, dancers and pyrotechnics to name a few. I've programmed and managed in both outdoor and indoor venues across Scotland, England and Europe. I’ve been involved in every aspect of event management you can imagine. Planning, logistics, funding applications, producing, production / technical management, stage management, volunteer & crew co-ordinator, so I understand all the processes involved in making something happen! My passion is for supporting artists wherever I can so that they can work unhindered by red tape and boring admin. I also love helping artists create work that connects with and delights audiences. Seeing the connections with audiences and the differences art can make is amazing to me and I genuinely love that my job is to facilitate that. For the last 6 years I have worked as a Project Manager within the arts sector, after graduating with Film and Media from the University of Stirling. I've been lucky enough to work with a wide range of artists practising various art forms, from visual artists, musicians, physical theatre performers, circus artists, dancers and pyrotechnics to name a few. I've programmed and managed in both outdoor and indoor venues across Scotland, England and Europe. I’ve been involved in every aspect of event management you can imagine. Planning, logistics, funding applications, producing, production / technical management, stage management, volunteer & crew co-ordinator, so I understand all the processes involved in making something happen! My passion is for supporting artists wherever I can so that they can work unhindered by red tape and boring admin. I also love helping artists create work that connects with and delights audiences. Seeing the connections with audiences and the differences art can make is amazing to me and I genuinely love that my job is to facilitate that.
Arran actor in BBC series
Many will remember Paul Tinto who, as a young actor at Arran High School played Marius in Les Miserables and Tony in West Side Story. Paul is appearing as Corporal Chris Dimarco in a new BBC drama starting on 1st October, The Last Post.
Coastwatch News
Survey to catalogue Basking Sharks
A survey is being carried out to catalogue the number of Basking Sharks visiting the Firth of Clyde.
Basking Shark Scotland has appealed to the public to submit sightings viA website or phone. In 2016 a similar survey identified 24 individual basking sharks, with the biggest measuring about eight metres in length. The wildlife tour operator said it was hopeful some of those same sharks would revisit the area.
Founder Shane Wasik said " This survey is very exciting for us and for the understanding of the sharks behaviour. The sharks can be widespread over large areas so any help the public an give us would be really useful".
Poem of the Month
The Dissolution of the Libraries
Words whirled away like thought untethering
itself. Stand here — dugdeep in boneshells
of abandoned bookbanks — and hear
their whisperlong as winds blow in.
The ransacked sky-stacks row after row
reaching to a roofdome now rent weather-wide.
Mouldmaps inbloom between shitsplat spines;
nestled nooks for house-spugs & mouserats.
Gone all the idolgold: the glimmerings
on paperthick and parch, that flare, facelit,
matchbright — magic as moonglare
suddenly uncloudclothed — picking out a path.
Wonder when whole worlds were ribbed in rhyme:
scriptsafe, bookbound. A hoard of heartsong.
Secrets storied like spells to ken, to keen,
to kindl warmfire in winterdarks.
O weary word-wanderer travelsore and tired
hopesmirched so homefar home. Timesgone
when sounds ink-sketched slips moutheasy
to meaning. Didn’t fur tongue taste foreignfull.
Emma Simon
Book Review: Danube by Claudio Magris
Danube by Claudio Magris, Vintage paperback.
Claudio Magris is little known in Britain, but on the Continent, and especially in his native Italy, he is a celebrated writer, critic and academic, and winner of many literary awards. Danube, first published in Italian in 1986 and in English translation three years later, is his magnum opus, and a complete delight. John Banville is quoted as saying "This book is full of wonder and delights...........on almost every page there are passages that make the heart lift...........Danube is a masterpiece."
Harvey, Irma, and climate change: why they won’t change minds
Harvey, Irma, and climate change: why they won't change minds
Why it will struggle to matter: Here's a look at why Harvey and Irma could become flashpoints in the public's views on climate change, yet simultaneously fail to move the needle much, partly because humans have short attention spans, are too wedded to preconceived notions, and are in denial about the real consequences of the issue, writes Amy Harder in Axios.
Short attention spans
Critics of climate policies, including the Trump Environmental Protection Agency, cautioned against politicizing Harvey by drawing connections between the storm and climate change. We're now seeing this type of back-and-forth after every extreme weather event, but some scientists are growing wary of it.
Embrace of the Serpent at Corrie Film Club
The film on the 8th October will be Embrace of the Serpent (2016, Colombia, directed by Ciro Guerra, 125 mins, Cert 15).
Visually and thematically arresting, this award winning film is the story of the relationship between Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman and last survivor of his people, and two scientists who work together over the course of 40 years, through perilous adventure and friendship to search the Amazon for a sacred healing plant.
Mark Kermode in the Guardian said "this extraordinary, hypnotic work by Colombian director Ciro Guerra seems at first glance to be a dreamy inversion of the themes of Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo and Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, turning a generic heart of darkness into a crucible of light, as seen from the perspective of indigenous Amazonian tribespeople. Mixing fact and fiction in fable-like fashion, Guerra’s third feature (which secured Colombia’s first Oscar nomination for best foreign language film) offers both a bold indictment of colonial imperialism and a powerful celebration of disappearing cultures."
The Marine Conservation Society and COAST welcome the bottle deposit return scheme
Deposit returns to be a reality for Scotland; system for bottles and drinks cans announced.
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) welcomes the commitment to a bottle deposit return system made by Scottish Government.
Catherine Gemmell, Scotland Conservation Officer said: “As a founding partner in the Have You Got The Bottle campaign, we are absolutely thrilled with this announcement. We are extremely hopeful, having seen the thorough investigation of options for deposit return systems done by Scottish Government to date, that we'll hear the First Minister give a green light for a full working Deposit Return System in Scotland. We see this as the simplest next step to help turn the tide on plastic, glass and metal drinks containers on our beaches. We hope that this will inspire similar systems throughout the UK.”
