A COALITION of conservation charities have voiced their concerns over controversial plans to transfer millions of tonnes of crude oil between tankers anchored in a dolphin hotspot.
Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), RSPB Scotland, WWF Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland have united to express their concerns about the Cromarty Firth Port Authority’s application to undertake ship-to-ship oil transfers in the open sea at the mouth of the Cromarty Firth.
The Cromarty Firth Port Authority has applied to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) for a new licence to transfer oil between tankers anchored in open water at the mouth of the firth - a site described by a leading expert as “one of the most predictable places bottlenose dolphins will visit in Europe”.
There are fears any oil spill would herald an environmental disaster for the precious marine mammals, as well as bird colonies and designated conservation sites.
All six organisations argue that the proposed ship- to -ship transfers threaten nationally and internationally important sites for wildlife.
The proposed location is within the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation for bottlenose dolphin and the proposed Moray Firth Special Area of Protection for a wide range of seabirds.
They claim other European protected sites that could be harmed by the operation, such as the Inner Moray Firth and the Moray and Nairn Coast Special Protection Areas and the Culbin Bar Special Area of Conservation.
Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland said: "Ship-to-ship oil transfers are an unnecessary risk to Scotland's important marine wildlife, where even a small leak could prove devastating for some species. Unless it can be shown how the marine environment will be protected, these proposals should be shelved.
"This is yet another example of the threats faced by nature as a result of addiction to fossil fuels, and underline why we must more rapidly transition to a zero-carbon future."
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