Conservationists are calling a marine "national park" to be set up which would preserve Scotland's dolphins, whales and sea birds.

The World Wide Fund for Nature is spearheading plans to establish the protection zone off the north-west coast of Scotland, under the same legislation which will create national parks at Loch Lomond and the Cairngorms.

The idea is being discussed at a meeting of the Scottish Coastal Forum in Edinburgh on Thursday.

The WWF believes those interested in protecting Scotland's spectacular marine environment should get together with local communities around the Minch or in Orkney and Shetland to draw up plans for the park.

Wider application

The Environment Minister Sarah Boyack has confirmed that legislation now going through the Scottish Parliament for national parks could also apply to coastal areas and to the deep sea.

WWF says areas such as the Minch, between the West Coast and the Outer Hebrides, and the waters around Orkney and Shetland are of world class conservation value.

They are home to dolphins, whales, basking sharks, terns, puffins and guillemots.

It is expected that fishermen and the oil industry will be suspicious of the idea of a marine park.

However, the WWF says it wants to explore all areas of opinion.

Local community

It would like to see the first specific plans for a marine park coming from a local community keen to protect its natural resources.

Conservationists have warned in the past of what they consider an accident waiting to happen if tankers continue to use the restricted waters of the Minch as a sheltered short cut.

Dr Sian Pullen, the head of WWF's Marine Programme, said with an oil tanker incident every two weeks round the UK the country is not properly prepared to deal with a major oil spill like the Sea Empress incident off Wales four years ago.