MSP in bid to protect marine environment
A bid to prevent illegal damage to the marine environment has been launched by Scottish Green MSP Ariane Burgess.
The Highlands and Islands MSP is asking for support for a parliamentary motion on increasing capacity for nature protection.
“It’s clear that people across Scotland care deeply about the health of our beautiful coastline, ocean and the wildlife it supports – not least because they provide food for many of us," she said.
“I’m heartened that the Scottish government and Scottish Greens are moving forward with plans to protect and restore at least 10 per cent of our seas through a new network of Highly Protected Marine Areas.
“But environmental organisations and community groups have raised concerns that fixed penalty notices and fines are generally not high enough to stop illegal fishing and breaches of regulations in current Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
“My motion recognises that well-resourced enforcement of marine protection regulations is essential to protect nature and support the law-abiding majority of Scotland’s fishing fleet.
“That’s why I’m supporting calls from the Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust (SIFT) for a review of the scale of fixed penalties and the development of sentencing guidelines on fisheries offences."