Scottish Greens back National Marine Parks proposal
Scottish Greens have welcomed a proposal from the Blue Marine Foundation for the establishment of National Marine Parks in Scotland.
A new report from the charity calls for communities to be able to bid for three national parks along the Scottish coast, including one at Argyll, to boost tourism and give better protections for marine life. [1]
Commenting, Scottish Greens environment spokesperson Mark Ruskell said:
“The Scottish Greens included the idea of Marine National Parks in our manifesto as part of our wider ambitions for Scotland’s national parks, so we welcome this important report.
“A Scot invented the notion of a National Park, so it’s disappointing that we have made no progress in establishing any new parks since 2003. We are in a nature emergency, so marine protections need to be meaningful and enforceable, and a robust national parks strategy can achieve that while ensuring that opportunities for eco-tourism provide an economic boost for coastal communities.”