The Scottish Government is set for its third clash with Westminster this year as it seeks an extension to the areas in which it can designate Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs).
In an email seen by the Daily Record, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition Mairi McAllan said the Scottish Government intends "to seek powers to designate Highly Protected Marine Areas in Scottish waters beyond 12 nautical miles" and has "begun the process of discussing this with UK Government."
Although most issues concerning the marine environment are devolved to the Scottish Parliament, decisions on Scottish waters beyond 12 nautical miles from the Scottish coast are reserved to Westminster.
A Tory minister has suggested the proposal will be rejected, meaning the Scottish Government will clash with the UK Government for the third time in a matter of months.
Westminster blocked Holyrood's gender recognition reform (GRR) bill in January and caused the deposit return scheme (DRS) to be delayed further earlier this week by demanding glass was excluded.
The Scottish Government has committed to designating at least 10 per cent of the country's coastline as highly protected in an effort to boost ecosystems.
Commercial and recreational fishing would be banned in the zones as well as the harvesting of seaweed.
But the plans have been controversial, with several SNP senior figures saying they would be devastating for coastal communities.
McAllan said in an email to Fishing News: “Despite the marine environment being a largely devolved issue, and one for which Scotland has a strong track record, decision making on the marine environment beyond 12 nautical miles remains largely under UK Government control.
“It would be our intention to seek powers to designate Highly Protected Marine Areas in Scottish waters beyond 12 nautical miles, and I have begun the process of discussing this with UK Government."
The Scottish Government has confirmed this is its policy.
Tory fisheries minister Mark Spencer said the UK Government was unlikely to approve HPMAs outside 12 nautical miles at the Shellfish Association of Great Britain's conference on Tuesday.
Angus MacNeil, SNP MP for the Western Isles, slammed the plans.
He said: "Not content with idiotic legislation in other areas, the Bute House Agreement with the Greens, is spawning the most idiotic attempts at legislation with the Highly Protected Marine Areas.
"Given the current Scot Gov prioritise idiotic legislation over independence and as a result choose by default to remain tied to Westminster no one can complain then when Westminster for whatever reason, political games or sound reasons, then goes and blocks it.
"Scotland needs a Government focussed on independence not idiotic legislation."
Alba MP for East Lothian Kenny MacAskill was also critical.
He said: "The Scottish Government seems to be going for the acronym hat-trick with GRR, DRS and now HPMAs.
"After the folly of the supreme court we now have further pointless grandstanding. HPMAs are potentially devastating for fragile communities and this isn't pushing for independence but another pointless spat that will end in defeat."
Chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation Elspeth Macdonald said:
“The Scottish Government has utterly failed to make the case for banning fishing in at least 10% of Scotland’s waters, a policy that was dreamt up for political reasons and not on any scientific basis, which is why it is opposed not only by the seafood industry but by communities right around our coastline.
“Instead of focusing on the practicalities of introducing such an obviously flawed policy, ministers and civil servants should go back to the drawing board and start again, involving industry with a bottom-up approach supported by robust science instead of ignoring legitimate businesses and the communities that depend upon them.”
The UK Government was contacted for comment.
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