Environmentalists are calling on the government to make a "serious commitment" to aiding the recovery of marine life around Scotland.
The warning by Scottish Environment LINK came on Wednesday as it released an independent scientific report on the decline of species in Scottish waters.
It suggests that many habitats and species have been "seriously depleted" by human activities and that fishing has "profoundly altered" ecosystems in some areas.
LINK said the Scottish Government's Marine Bill should strive to reverse these declines, and not just protect what remains.
Becky Boyd, Vice-Convener of LINK's Marine Task Force, said: "The Marine Bill needs, at its core, to contain a serious commitment to a process of reversing the damage we have done to our seas.
"Planning systems and Marine Protected Areas are very welcome, but the legislative driver must be more than just protecting what remains of our marine life.
"We must use this opportunity to start the process of restoring the riches of our seas."
The report, titled "Recovering Scotland's Marine Environment", found that fishing has caused the significant decline of many species during the past few decades.
Examples include the decline in landings of North Sea cod, which have dropped from a peak of around 800,000 tonnes in 1980 to nearly zero.
The report also highlighted the plight of oysters which have also suffered a major decline and may be extinct in areas such as the Firth of Forth.
Calum Duncan, Convener of LINK's Marine Task Force, added: "If we want to see sustainable and growing industries based in the seas around Scotland - and to support the future of the communities around our coasts - we have to improve the quality of the marine environment.
"This report contains conclusive evidence that we have been going in the opposite direction for too many years and decades."
