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.
Chairman Frazer Scott gave a “hands off the Solway” message to Holyrood and stressed the fleet was already fishing sustainably.
Now Mr Carson is urging Mairi McAllan, the cabinet secretary for net zero and just transition, to ditch the scheme.
He said: “When even her own party members are voicing their own concerns why is she not listening?
“It is almost as if she has made up her mind already without even considering the information and views expressed by the thousands who have taken part in the consultation process.
“It seriously begs the question that is the cabinet secretary only giving lip-service and will press ahead with HPMAs regardless. It is just a question where rather than if.”
