A long-term strategy to protect hundreds of miles of renowned Highland coastline and inshore areas from future development is being drawn up by council officials.
The coastal development strategy, which looks at 2,160 miles of mainland coast, is being produced by Highland Council and is expected to go out for public consultation later this year.
The study, covering the coast from the Moray Firth in the east to Loch Linnhe in the west, aims to establish the current use of areas within the zone one mile onshore and three nautical miles offshore, before identifying what threats the coastline could face in the future.
As well as tourism and recreation, the strategy looks at a raft of coastal industries, including agriculture, crofting, forestry, fish farming and renewable energy.
It also outlines ways of protecting historic sites, such as Fort George, near Inverness, Eilean Donan Castle, near Kyle, and the wreck of the Port Napier in water off Kyleakin, Skye.
The strategy has been broadly welcomed by councillors, but George Farlow, the member for North, West and Central Sutherland, said the authority would have to work with the Crown Estate, which owns “huge chunks” of coastline.
He said: “We have to negotiate because there are many cases where community development does not go ahead because of estate issues.”
The draft coastal strategy says: “The Highland coastal zone is renowned for its landscapes and wildlife, and is home to the majority of the region’s population.
“About half of Scotland’s mainland coastline is in Highland, so it represents a hugely important resource.
“It is exploited in many different ways, including tourism, fishing, aquaculture, residential and business use, so is the focus for much of the Highland economy.”
The strategy also defines the east coast of the Highlands as being “rich in potential opportunities for tourism”.
It advocates the promotion of beaches at Brora and Nairn, as well as promoting the Moray Firth dolphins, which are often seen in the narrows off Chanonry Point, at Fortrose on the Black Isle.
Efforts could also be made to boost visitor numbers in Easter Ross coastal areas which are typically bypassed by tourists, such as Balintore, Portmahomack and Tarbat Ness.