Bird protection

While the government’s announcement on the proposed list of marine protected area sites should be welcomed, I would have to reiterate the 
comments of Stuart Housdon, director of RSPB Scotland 
(“Protecting our seas makes 
economic sense”, Platform, 13 December), that this is a missed opportunity.

I read recently that seabird numbers in Scotland have halved over the past 20 years.

Why then, if the Scottish Government has the opportunity to protect this group of species, has it failed to do so with marine protected areas?

Oriana Franceschi

Goldenacre