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A whale of a fight

Last Modified: 31 Jan 2008
By: Julian Rush

The government plans to approve a new licence for oil and gas excavation off the Scottish coast, despite environmental concerns. .

Accused by environmentalists of riding roughshod over European laws designed to protect natural habitats

The area of the Moray Firth off Inverness is deemed a Special Area of Conservation and conservationists fear the move could endanger the survival of a famous pod of dolphins.

The government's own research suggests they won't be put at risk, but the environmental sensitivity of the area was underlined when scientists found themselves trying to save the life of a whale which had become beached.