Scottish Environment LINK has secured vital grant funding from The Naturesave Trust, which will help mobilise nationwide action to protect Scotland’s rapidly degrading marine environment. This crucial initiative will focus on mobilising public support for marine protected areas and applying coordinated pressure on the Scottish government to deliver a robust, well-managed and ecologically effective marine protected area network.
The funding arrives at a critical time for marine conservation in Scotland. Despite a commitment to protect 30% of our seas by 2030, many of Scotland’s marine protected areas have remained poorly managed, with no fishing restrictions in place more than a decade after they were designated to protect ocean wildlife.
Repeated government delays to put proper protections in place threaten the health of Scotland’s marine ecosystems along with the coastal communities that depend on them. This places vulnerable habitats at risk, including vital kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and fish nursery grounds, as well as species such as whales and basking sharks.
Scottish Environment LINK’s marine project aims to build greater public understanding of the marine environment and provide citizens with the knowledge and confidence to participate meaningfully in marine decision-making. The project will help to generate public pressure, amplify the voices of coastal communities, and advocate for marine protection to be elevated to a top parliamentary priority.
Deborah Long, Chief Executive of Scottish Environment LINK, said:
“This support from Naturesave will be a much needed boost for Scottish Environment LINK’s work advocating for Scotland’s seas. By helping us launch vital community and parliamentary initiatives, this funding will help us secure the healthy, well-managed seas that Scotland desperately needs, where wildlife and coastal communities flourish and ecosystems are protected, connected and thriving.”
The Naturesave Trust is funded by the activities of Naturesave Insurance, an award-winning broker with over 30 years’ experience in providing ethical and sustainable personal and commercial insurance.