Sir David Attenborough has called for the Scottish Government to protect kelp beds in Scottish waters.
New legislation is being proposed which would ban dredging of kelp in coastal areas such as Ayr and Troon.
It comes after Ayr-based company Marine Biopolymers (MBL) sought license from Marine Scotland to extract kelp mechanically from Scotland from its seabeds.
MBL are already involved in work taking polymers from seaweed for the purpose of food and pharmaceutical industries. Their kelp dredging proposal would consist of harvesting seaweed using a mechanical comb.
David Attenborough has appeared to work with Green politicians to enforce environmental legislation in Parliament that would protect kelp beds which apparently over 200 species rely on. The wildlife TV star hopes MSPs successfully impose the ban.
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