This morning, our letter writers offer views on salmon farming, heating oil prices, NHS appointments, ‘the shooting set’ and long-haul flights.
Protecting predators will destroy planet
Sir,-Ron Greer (January 26) is right in asking his questions about salmon farming. Indeed, no form of aquaculture, other than shellfish, can ever be truly sustainable.
A comparison I have often used to demonstrate the absurdity of those who claim that salmon farming is sustainable is that of the farmer who decides to farm lions as a food source. He feeds them all his cattle and sheep.
Salmon are near the top of the marine food chain and, therefore, in the wild are a relatively rare creature, just as lions need to be vastly outnumbered by grazers such as antelope and zebras.
This planet is heading towards mass starvation and unless we utilise primary food sources in a more responsible manner that starvation will arrive sooner than many people think.
A further point to ponder is the obsession of certain groups of people to protect predators at all costs.
In this country, piscivorous birds and seals are causing damage to both marine and freshwater fish populations due to their blanket protection and the miopic mentality of organisations like the RSPB and seal-loving people like Bill Oddie and Kate Humble.
So before you renew your RSPB membership, or buy that brightly dyed lump of farmed salmon, think, ‘Am I helping the future starvation of generations to come?’
Meanwhile, I am going to feed my garden birds before the raptors finish them off!
Eric McVicar.Strontian,Argyll.
Profiteering by fuel firms
Sir,-I applaud your call for a fuel-duty regulator but why is the focus on the price at the petrol pumps?
What about the massive increase in the cost of domestic heating fuel?
During the recent cold spell when the demand was great due to people stocking up to ensure they would not run out, the price per litre rose from around 48p to 68p over a period of a month.
I see no justification for such a large increase other than exploitation by the suppliers.
Robert G. Macdonald.Craiglinn,Abernethy.
Introduce NHS fines
Sir,-When are our public servants going to stop throwing taxpayers’ money around like confetti?
Your leader writer rightly draws attention to NHS Fife’s loss of thousands of pounds on unkept appointments. This follows a similar sad report from NHS Tayside.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of pounds are lost every year in unpaid fines, council tax and council house rents.
Your writer applauds Fife’s decision to try the carrot approach to persuading patients to keep appointments but the authorities have been too lenient and too lax for far too long.
The alternative to persuasion is not necessarily the imposition of fines. Anybody can make a mistake and miss one appointment or even two but, when it comes to people who habitually miss appointments, then GPs or hospitals should blacklist the offenders and, on their next request for an appointment, demand a £25 deposit, repayable on attendance. There would be no financial hardship provided that the patients kept appointments.
The system could make allowances for patients with genuine reasons for not turning up. It would, however, cut down on the abuse of the system by those with no excuse for missing appointments. As your leader writer says, financial penalties concentrate the mind wonderfully.
George K. McMillan.5 Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
Offensive description
Sir,-With reference to your article about Amulree Hotel, I take exception to the remarks made by Craig Henderson and, in particular his quite unjustified comment about what he calls the shooting set keeping their mistresses on the premises.
I have known Amulree Hotel all my life and it was always regarded as a very high-class establishment with a first-class reputation. I don’t suppose the residents of Amulree would be too pleased to read this boy’s description of their local hostelry.
W. H. Cox.Merle House,School Lane,Little Dunkeld.
Gateway to world
Sir,-Your article on possible direct flights to China from Scottish airports suggests that travel via London Heathrow is necessary now.
Last year I travelled from Glasgow to Australia with Emirates, which required a change at Dubai. I found this less of an ordeal than a change at Heathrow.
Emirates gave me a timetable of all their flights and it is possible to travel with them to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong with a change at Dubai.
Robin Ball.27 Morgan Street,Dundee.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.