Renewable energy protest outside Scottish Parliament

Protestors gathered outside the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday to oppose the scheme backed by Offshore Solutions Group (OSG).

The development would stretch from west of Findhorn to Burghead and, at its closest point, would be just 1 kilometre from the shoreline. (Image: Rose Moncur)

The group, Moray Firth No To The Flow Park, arranged transport to Edinburgh to coincide with the parliamentary debate on the issue, convened by MSPs Tim Eagle, Douglas Ross, and Annabelle Ewing.

A spokesman for the group said: "This visit to Holyrood is about making sure decision-makers hear directly from the communities who live and work alongside the Moray Firth.

"We are not opposed to renewable or green energy, but this development is in the wrong place and is not needed.

The Moray Firth is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), primarily because it supports the largest of the two known resident populations of bottlenose dolphins in the UK. It is also home to harbour and grey seals, porpoises, basking sharks, and increasingly, orca and minke whales. (Image: Rose Moncur)

They added: "The industrialisation of a protected marine environment puts wildlife, livelihoods and a unique natural landscape at unacceptable risk.

"We want to safeguard the Moray Firth for future generations."

Campaigners warn that the project would have a devastating impact on the area. (Image: Rose Moncur)

The group argues that the development poses a severe risk to the local fishing industry, tourism, pleasure boating, and the wider marine ecosystem.

They also believe there is already sufficient storage capacity for such activities at existing and planned port facilities throughout Scotland.

David Ross, 'No To The Flow' page manager and local to the Moray Firth area, spoke to The Herald, he said: "It would decimate the wildlife. We've got basking sharks, which are red listed, dolphins and seals.

"It's going to affect them. We have fishermen who fish in the area, which will also impact them.

He adds: "It's going to impact all of the tourism industry, let alone the people that live here. It's slap bang on where tourists come to the North of Scotland. They don't want to see great big metal structures." 

As well as the harm to tourism and wildlife in the Moray Firth, Ross adds: "There's also the problem that we just don't need it. There are enough of what they call wet storage anchorages already existing within Scottish ports.

"The current supply of wet storage exceeds projected demands of wet storage. We don't need this.

"It's just somebody trying to make some money by undercutting the ports."

"They've pledged £1.8 million on this, but yet they can't fix potholes."

The Moray Firth is designated as a Special Area of Conservation.

It is home to one of only two resident populations of bottlenose dolphins in the UK, as well as harbour and grey seals, porpoises, basking sharks, and increasing numbers of orca and minke whales.