CAMPAIGNERS accused Scottish ministers today of continuing to allow “destructive” fishing practices in protected areas.

The Open Seas charity, in collaboration with Greenpeace, published a survey of seabeds within Scotland’s marine protected areas (MPAs).

It said that the protected areas had been created in to safeguard marine ecosystems, but that many “lack effective management measures,” which has allowed “harmful fishing practices” such as bottom trawling and scallop dredging.

The campaigners said they had uncovered “clear evidence” that many protected areas “are merely lines on a map with little real-world impact on marine conservation.”

Open Seas director Phil Taylor said: “Despite public statements and legal commitments, the Scottish government is allowing destructive fishing inside supposedly protected areas.

“These failures are not only national scandals, they breach Scotland’s international obligations to halt biodiversity loss and restore the health of our seas.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Putting in place the remaining fisheries management measures for MPAs and further measures for the 11 priority marine features most at risk from bottom trawling outside MPAs remains a top priority for this government.”

“Fisheries management measures will be implemented in 2025 for offshore MPAs and as soon as possible for inshore sites, following the completion of the required statutory assessments and public consultation.”