Western Isles fishermen have won a standoff against the might of Nato’s military forces.
Defence chiefs jammed a vital civilian maritime satellite navigational system forcing island fishing boats within hazardous waters to effectively navigate blind.
Today, Nato capitulated to the fishermen’s demands to switch the GPS back on for the rest of the exercise.
The blocked signal had also knocked out the emergency Mayday radio digital selective calling (DSC) system which instantly pinpoints the position of a vessel in distress so coastguards can immediately activate a rescue.
At least one island boat was said to have become stuck on rocks and the rest of the west coast fleet put in danger of collision and grounding.
The added risk heightened fears of an emergency when there is no coastguard tug on station available to towing any vessel in distress.
The marine sat nav network or Global Positioning System (GPS) was blocked for up to three hours at a time as UK, European and American forces carried out war games in the Minch, between the Hebrides and the north west mainland.
Warships, frigates, submarines, helicopters and fighter jets are involved in the mass Joint Warrior 112 which uses live firing and mines to simulate direct enemy combat in a sea and land battle. They disabled the navigational aid so navy ships would not know where the supposed enemy was.
But fishing boats around the Hebrides, Wester Ross and Cape Wrath completely lost the use of their GPS navigational equipment when the military blocked off the signals with very little warning.
It particularly affected vessels fishing in the North Minch, from the Shiant Isles
to Tolsta Head. Many were involved towing nets very close to shore -
Duncan Macinnes of the Western Isles Fishermen's Association and isles MP Angus Macneil took up the controversy with shipping minister Mike Penning and demanded the military cease the jamming.
It was feared island fishermen would be at risk this week with the only good weather after gales disrupted fishing for the past month.
Mr Macinnes said: “We welcome the news that the jamming of GPS will cease with immediate effect for the duration of this naval exercise.
“We would like to thank the MOD for coming to the right decision to our request for cessation of the GPS jamming and to thank Angus MacNeil, MP, for this prompt assistance on this matter.
“We will work constructively with all relevant parties involved in future exercises , so that a detailed risk assessment is undertaken by all parties to ensure that the safety of vessels and crew is not compromised an any way during the next naval exercise scheduled for next spring.”
Nato backs down in fishermen row 10/10/11
A Royal Navy spokesman said it issued a guide to the maritime industry about the exercise last month which gave warning of the jamming operations, dates and times. A navigation warning was also issued last week, he said.
The spokesman said temporary jamming was essential to military training and carried out previous.
He highlighted GPS jamming was suspended for the remainder of exercise Joint Warrior 112 to be absolutely clear that there are no genuine safety concerns to address.”
"This will provide a period of time to reflect with all the relevant authorities about the conduct of GPS jamming and ensure that all parties are fully aware before the beginning of the next exercise which is scheduled for spring 2012.”
Stornoway shellfish trawler MFV Guide Us had her nets stuck fast on a reef as a result resulting in significant expensive damage to his gear on Sunday.
Another Lewis fishing boat, the MFV Kildonan, narrowly avoid a similar hazard but lost earnings by returning to the safety of harbour much earlier than usual.
Calum Macleod, skipper of the MFV Siarach said he also experienced problems on Saturday.
He said: “We are scallop fishing and working very close to the shore and rely on our GPS to avoid collision with rocks. We could have run aground if there were any problems. They should really have given us a week’s notice. It was not very satisfactory at all.”
“We would have been prepared for it but they told us nothing.”
Assault ship HMS Bulwark is one of the military vessels on exercise
Calum Macleod is skipper of one of local boats affected