Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil is writing to new First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, calling for proposals for Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA) to be dropped.
Last week Mr MacNeil wrote to the Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan, to stress the strength of feeling against the proposals in the islands and called for the legislation to be dropped.
Mr MacNeil said: “There is not a person I know who is in favour of the Highly Protected Marine Areas. In fact, many people fear for their livelihoods if the plans go ahead.

“While Scotland is in a UK that is damaging our economy in comparison to Ireland, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, we simply cannot be going along with more economically damaging measures to the most fragile areas of the misgoverned UK.
“HPMA will cause further economic misery which will do nothing for the environment given that the areas that they want to protect are those that are already fished and looked after sustainably.
“Some people say, ‘A new broom sweeps clean’ so the new First Minister has a chance to sweep away the clutter of the past and the HPMAs would be a good place to start.”
The proposals are currently under consultation with a closing date of April 17th.
Link to the consultation: