The Our Seas alliance is calling for a ‘modernised’ three-mile limit (Steve Parsons/PA)
An alliance of more than 100 organisations is demanding that trawlers be banned from fishing within three miles of Scotland’s coasts.
Members of the Our Seas coalition insisted that a “modernised” three-mile limit is “not a radical measure” and would benefit both the environment and coastal communities.
With talks taking place between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Greens over a formal co-operation agreement, the group is pressing both parties to consider the issue.
While there had previously been a ban on trawling the seabed within three miles of the coast, this was repealed by the UK Government in 1984 – with Ailsa McLellan, Our Seas coalition co-ordinator, claiming this “led to what academics called ‘ecological meltdown’”.