Greens call for greater protection for the seas
On the anniversary of the Braer oil tanker disaster, Green MSPs are calling for immediate action to prevent another marine disaster.
They are worried that forthcoming Government proposals on the marine environment will not be sufficient to protect sensitive marine environments.
The sinking of the Braer tanker, which grounded in the Shetland Isles in 1993, resulted in the deaths of up to 32,000 sea birds and considerable damage to the environment.
One of the proposals arising out of the report into the disaster was to designate certain areas as being of high sensitivity and restrict access to them for commercial vessels.
In particular, the Greens want the area around the Summer Isles, where a separate oil tanker (the Jambo) sank in 2003, included in any protected areas list.
Speaking today, Green marine environment spokesman Robin Harper said that unless special protection was granted “another serious incident involving shipping could be simply a matter of time.
“Every time the seas are polluted, the fishing industry suffers huge losses because restrictions or bans have to be imposed. Fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds are all harmed. Protecting our seas and marine resources is essential if we are to protect the livelihoods of fishermen.
“It is now a year since the Jambo accident occurred, and over 11 years since the Braer disaster. We cannot afford to wait until more damage is done – communities are depending on the Scottish Parliament and the UK government to take action. It would be fitting if this anniversary brought some long-awaited good news for coastal communities in the form of preventing shipping traffic from entering vulnerable marine areas.”
