RSPB wants marine protection areas
The charity says Scotland has 45 per cent of the European Union’s breeding seabirds, many of which have been enduring a run of poor breeding seasons, yet many important sites currently do not have any legal protection. In their report Safeguarding our Seabirds: Marine Protected Areas for the UK’s Seabirds - they identify 24 potential areas of national importance for seabirds in Scotland, among over 70 areas around the UK's shore which are worthy of protection, in addition to those which could be protected under current EU legislation. RSPB’s head of policy Lloyd Austin said: "Despite many sea cliffs which seabirds use to breed having environmental protection, the sea next to them which forms an important feeding area for seabirds has no such safety net. “We don't think that there should be a complete halt to human activity in these areas, simply that these activities should be managed so as not to disrupt food sources or breeding success.”
