Allan raises marine designations’ issue 8/11/14
Isles’ MSP, Alasdair Allan, has written to Environment Minister, Paul Wheelhouse MSP to ask for reassurances over how the Scottish Government plans to manage any potential Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the seas around Uist.
Alasdair Allan commented: “In particular I am interested to know what lessons have been learned in this respect from the marine Special Area of Conservation experience in Barra, and whether the Marine Protected Areas would be likely to be administered by local bodies.
“I think there is a growing consensus that communities should be in the driving seat of how such sites are administered. I have asked if the government are in a position to say how any such bodies would work and how their membership would be composed.”
The MSP added: “I believe that it is important that we manage any designations in such a way that any potential impact to the local economy is minimised as much as possible and that local people are at the heart of any management.”