The Scottish Government has been urged to be more ambitious to try and restore damaged ecosystems such as maerl beds in Wester Ross.
Independent Highland MSP Jean Urquhart said SNP ministers must be more flexible in their approach to protecting areas covered in hard seaweed which provides vital shelter for a wide range of marine creatures.
Scottish Natural Heritage said experiments have shown that young scallops in particular have a strong preference for living maerl beds as nursery areas.
The government agency said protecting maerl beds helped to sustain scallop fishing, important commercially in western Scotland.
Ms Urquhart said she welcomed the Scottish Government’s draft national marine plan but urged ministers to go further.
“The plan is a great start but as it develops, it needs to be more ambitious about restoring vital ecosystems, and more responsive to emerging science and the ever-changing nature of the sea,” she added.
“Wester Ross’s beds of the coral-like seaweed called maerl provide a habitat for thousands of other marine species.
“But they are also among the most badly-damaged in Scotland.
“The current plan draws a protective area tightly around the existing beds, providing little opportunity for growth.
“It doesn’t even cover some more recently-discovered areas, showing the necessity for a flexible plan that can respond to new information.”
Ms Urquhart said communities must be given the power to implement the national plan in a way that suits local needs.
“We also need to be sure that the plan is adhered to, otherwise it’s really just a piece of paper,” she added.