The Crown Estate owns 55% of the UK foreshore, the seabed out to the 12 nautical mile limit and has the right to all seabed minerals expect hydrocarbons.

A report prepared for Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the North local authorities in 2006 concluded that these assets were not being managed to their full potential to realise the maximum benefit for the Scottish people.

Councillor Richard Durham, who chairs the working group pursuing the issue for Highland Council, said that they had been given strong indications by the Scottish Government that if they could demonstrate a broad front of support for the campaign, action would be taken.

Councillor Durham said: "We had a very positive meeting with the environment minister Michael Russell. He was fully aware of the contents of the report, but said he wanted to be sure that the report’s conclusions were supported right across the Highlands and Islands, including support from the area’s MSPs and MPs before taking any action.

"Our contention is that the Scottish Government has powers to change the management of The Crown Estate. That could be a change to the way The Crown Estate Commission functions, so that they do their job better and in a way that is more responsive to the demands of coastal communities, or that the management is done by someone else.

"The question of the ownership of The Crown Estate is an issue for Westminster."

John Farquhar Munro MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West, said the issue of The Crown Estate’s ownership and management of the seabed had lingered for years and now needed decisive action.

Mr Munro said: "This has been under discussion since I was on Highland Council in the 1990s and it’s about time management of the seabed and coastal areas were taken from the Crown Estate Commission (CEC).

"It would make more sense for the local authorities to have powers over the seabed near their own coastline.

"Mike Russell himself knows the area well and he will be well aware of the problems caused by the CEC, and I would hope he would take strong action to change the management system.

"The CEC extracts a substantial rent from fish and shellfish farms, harbours and jetties and that is a heavy burden. It would be far better to be regulated by local authorities."

Under the 2004 Energy Act, the Commission was also given the right to licence the generation of renewable energy out to the 200 nautical mile UK territorial waters limit.

Mr Munro said that he thought there would be widespread support among North MSPs for action to be taken by the Scottish Government.

He added: "Highland Council has already set up a cross-party group internally to campaign on the issue.

"I know that Highland and Island MSPs are very willing to support them and I am sure they can persuade colleagues throughout Scotland to support the case.

"The CEC has been lobbying for years to maintain their position, but there is a substantial majority who want change.

"We have to take control of their activities to prevent the outflow of money in rent, which don’t benefit our coastal areas.

"There is also a great debate starting over renewable energy generation at sea. The CEC wants to lead that and get all the gain from it as well.

"Their past history of managing our coastal waters has not been good and it is about time we had change."

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

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