The chief executive of environmental group Friends of the Earth Scotland has claimed it is “completely premature” to begin assessing the damage caused by gas leaking from the Elgin platform.
Stan Blackley said he was concerned that the Scottish Government was “underplaying” the potential effect the highly-explosive hydrocarbon gas may be having on the environment.
He believes the “real effects” of the gas leak may be long-term and not known for some time.
Mr Blackley said: “Just because a panel of fish tasters couldn’t taste any hydrocarbons in some fish caught near the Elgin platform doesn’t necessarily mean that hidden and longer-term environmental damage is not being caused to the waters, seabed and wildlife in the area.”
He also said this first set of results did not provide any information on the impact the methane – a greenhouse gas – was having on the atmosphere.
He added: “These initial tests completely ignore the negative impact that the release of massive amounts of methane into the atmosphere is having.
“Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and this leak is undoubtedly contributing to pollution of the atmosphere and climate change.”