Depopulation is one of the biggest population that the Hebrides faces (sic) and not having a functioning ferry service only exacerbates that. You know, To try and live your life where you cannot come and go when you need to, that is why many people now decide they cannot live out their lives in the Hebrides.

Joe Reade, from Somerset, Taster-in-Chief at the Island Bakery on Mull may be the man who first launched my research to find out how other countries did it after wondering himself if CalMac might be the ‘worst in the world.‘ I feel sure it was a Mull figure.

Readers will know that CalMac is almost certainly the best – cheapest, most frequent, most reliable, safest – in the world.

How reliable, currently, has CalMac been for Oban? In February 2026, latest figures, in a winter month- 387 out of 392 scheduled sailings operating – 98.2%; 366 on time, 94.3%. All of the cancellations were for unsafe weather conditions. https://assets.calmac.co.uk/media/dkrpvvnm/mull.pdf

Today? Morning sailings cancelled due to unsafe weather conditions but two sailings later today. A functioning service?

Is the Scottish Government using our taxation to give the islanders a wee bit extra to try to stem the depopulation?

Around £5 000 each more than the rest of us in grant subsidies:

Source – https://www.gov.scot/publications/funding-local-government-scotland-2026-27/pages/12/

What is causing depopulation?

There is no reliable research suggesting the ferry service matters much in this.

What really matters?

Limited employment opportunities and poor economic prospects ~35–45% (most consistently ranked as the top or leading structural driver). Lack of diverse, well-paid jobs with career progression is repeatedly identified as the dominant reason young people leave for education or work elsewhere, creating a “brain drain.” https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ijpg.265

Housing shortages and lack of affordability ~20–30% (second-most prominent structural barrier)
Insufficient suitable/affordable housing (exacerbated by second homes, tourism lets) prevents young families from staying or returning and deters in-migrants. Recent SRUC research and government reviews frequently pair this closely with jobs as a core constraint. https://sruc.figshare.com/articles/report/Demographic_change_and_out-migration_in_rural_and_island_Scotland/30617195

Youth out-migration leads to ageing populations, low fertility, and service erosion, creating a feedback loop.

Note again, the above Scottish Government grants.

Are we subsidising the ferries enough? AI search: Compare central government funding of ferry services for Scotland, Channel Isles, Isle of Wight, Washington State USA and British Columbia Canada.

Scotland provides by far the highest per-capita support, reflecting a strong policy commitment to remote island connectivity, affordable fares, and economic viability for small populations.

Finally, in the January 2026 management report (covering recent performance data), the average vehicle deck utilisation for Oban–Craignure Mull stood at 51.54%. – half empty.