Scotland to ban kelp dredging

Roseanna Cunningham has confirmed the Scottish Government will back a Scottish Green amendment aimed at prohibiting the mechanical harvesting of kelp by dredging.

Proposals to mechanically dredge kelp off the west coast of Scotland came under fire from environmental groups amid warnings the practice could do serious damage to local ecosystems.

Marine Scotland carried out an environmental appraisal on the effect of mechanical harvesting after one company, Marine Biopolymers, applied for a licence to dredge kelp.

Marine Conservation Society head of conservation Scotland Calum Duncan warned: “Kelp habitats are vital ecosystems that absorb the power of waves along stormy coasts, lock up millions of tonnes of carbon every year and provide shelter for hundreds of species.”

But with the Scottish Government supportive of an amendment by Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell, the practice is set to be prohibited when the Scottish Crown Estate Bill is debated in the chamber tomorrow.

Speaking ahead of a stage three debate, Cunningham said: “We recognise that kelp is an important part of our marine biodiversity and having considered amendments to the Crown Estate Bill we intend to support Mark Ruskell’s amendment, though there are some clarifications and qualifications that are required to be made.”

The Scottish Greens welcomed the move. Ruskell said: “Kelp forests are hugely important to our marine environment. They dampen waves, protecting coastal communities from flooding and erosion, act as a habitat for hundreds of species, and store more carbon dioxide than the rainforest. Greens have been working extremely hard to ensure that the practice of dredging for kelp is prohibited in legislation, and I am delighted that the Scottish Government will now back my proposals to save Scotland’s kelp forests.”