Fresh calls have been made to the Scottish Government to drop plans to label 10 per cent of the country’s seas Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs).
Ministers are currently consulting on the controversial move which would ban all types of fishing in waters covered by the designation.
Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson has waded into the debate pointing out that even SNP politicians were against the plan.
Mr Carson said: “Brendan O’Hara, the Scottish National Party’s chief whip at Westminster, has written to 11,000 householders in Argyll and Bute, to encourage them to write to the First Minister over the ill-thought-out, ill-conceived HPMAs. “In doing so, he has joined thousands of stakeholders and MSPs from across the chamber in condemning the policy. “The process takes as fact that at least 10 per cent of our seas will be designated as HPMAs, which makes a mockery of the consultation.” The Galloway Static Gear Inshore Fishermen’s Association is fiercely opposed the measure and say members fear for their livelihoods.
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