 Residents on Mull are among those who have raised concerns |
A delegation from the West Highlands is asking MSPs to back their efforts to block the creation of Scotland's first marine national park. Campaigners from Lochaber, Mull and Ardnamurchan are at Holyrood to demand that the National Park Act be amended.
They want local communities to have the final say on whether or not a park is established through a referendum.
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has drawn up a shortlist of five potential sites for a coastal and marine park.
The locations include the Solway Firth, the Argyll islands, the Skye coast line and South Lewis.
SNH has carried out a consultation on its proposals for a marine park, which would share the same aims as the two existing national parks.
These aims include conserving and enhancing the natural and cultural heritage, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources and driving the economic and social development of local communities.
The existing parks - which cover Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and the Cairngorms - went ahead despite some community concerns over the impact on local businesses.
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