Basking sharks are rare visitors to Scottish waters

They say some of Scotland's rarest species are under threat in an area where they should be protected.

Scotland's west coast is home to 24 types of whale, dolphin and porpoise. Basking sharks also visit these waters.

More than 50 field workers and conservationists will be combining their knowledge on Saturday in an event on a Royal Navy boat.

As part of the new initiative, conservation bodies such as the RSPB will team up with police.

They will aim to make existing patrols more effective by combining science and law enforcement.

Police are also urging sailors to keep their distance from the mammals, which are protected by law, after reports that they have been disturbed.

Code of conduct

Sergeant John Simpson, wildlife crime officer with the Ministry of Defence Police, said: "This event will tackle a number of long standing issues from lack of biological knowledge of marine fauna to identifying hotspots of wildlife and environmental crimes in and along the Clyde coast.

"There have been many recent sightings of cetaceans and basking sharks along the inner Clyde coast, Kilcreggan, Gourock and Loch Long but some significant problems are already being identified too.

"Recreational sailors have been seen pursuing and disturbing cetaceans and sharks that have appeared in the Clyde. Police are appealing to sailing clubs to follow the code of conduct when encountering these animals as it is illegal to disturb basking sharks in British waters".

On west coast shorelines, rare birds such as the Redshank are also under threat.