A COALITION of conservation and wildlife groups has said it believes an internationally important area for dolphins and seabirds is under “severe threat” from proposals to carry out ship-to-ship (STS) oil transfers.

The group – made up of Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), RSPB Scotland, WWF Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland – claimed the Cromarty Firth Port Authority’s (CFPA) assessment of its plans to undertake the transfers in the open sea at the mouth of the Cromarty Firth was inadequate, and fell far short of what is required under the EU habitat directive.

They also claimed the plans threaten nationally and internationally important sites for wildlife.

The proposed location is in the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for bottlenose dolphin, and the proposed Moray Firth Special Area of Protection for a range of seabirds. Other European protected sites they say could be harmed by the operations include the Cromarty Firth, Inner Moray Firth and the Moray and Nairn Coast Special Protection Areas, as well as the Culbin Bar SAC.

The group said the recent oil spill from the Clair platform off Shetland and the stranding of the Transocean Winner off Lewis highlighted the potential for spills to occur.

Following major spills from oil tankers such as the Braer off Shetland, in 1993 and the Sea Empress off Pembrokeshire in 1996, the oil and chemicals used in the clean-up remained in the environment and caused toxicity to wildlife for many years. WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: “Ship-to-ship oil transfers are an unnecessary risk to Scotland’s important marine wildlife, where even a small leak could prove devastating for some species.

“Unless it can be shown how the marine environment will be protected, these proposals should be shelved. This is yet another example of the threats faced by nature as a result of addiction to fossil fuels, and underline why we must more rapidly transition to a zero-carbon future.”

Dr Sam Collin of the SWT said: “The need for further ship-to-ship oil transfers within the Cromarty Firth has not been fully explained nor has the choice of the proposed site been justified through any analysis of alternative locations.”

WDC’s Fiona Read said marine mammals were very vulnerable to the potential impacts of oil. The proposals lack an adequate plan in the case of an oil spill and insufficient information has been provided on the prevention of oil spills or of the release of pathogens from ballast water, she said.

“Marine mammals are highly sensitive to noise and the noise impacts of the proposals have not been adequately assessed," Read added.

Dr Richard Luxmoore, from the National Trust for Scotland said: “The assessment provided by the applicant suggests that there is a maximum risk of an oil spill of only one tonne. This estimate would be laughable if the implications of an oil spill were not so serious.”

Alison Searl of RSPB Scotland added: “Even a small oil spill at the proposed new location for ship-to-ship transfers could devastate internationally important populations of over-wintering ducks, divers and grebes, as well as shags and other seabirds that use the Moray Firth all year round.”

The group said its concerns were submitted to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) which is determining the application, but no feedback had been received from it or CFPA.

A spokesman for the CFPA, said it took its environmental responsibilities extremely seriously.

He said: “Any work undertaken at the port must take the environment into account in accordance with national and international legislation.”

“This includes the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, the EU Habitats Directive, the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 and the EU Water Framework Directive.

“We believe it is possible for environmental sustainability and economic growth to go hand in hand, and the port continues to demonstrate that.”