21 Feb 2024
Scotland’s seas are renowned for their rich biodiversity. From fish to birds, marine mammals to invertebrates, they are home to thousands of fantastic species of plants and animals. They are loved by communities, are a key component of Scotland’s cultural heritage and identity, as well as a vital resource for those who rely on marine […]
29 Jun 2023
Responding to the Cabinet Secretary’s statement on the future of HPMAs, Scottish Environment LINK has welcomed the commitment to build greater consensus while stressing the need to deliver on ecological outcomes. Calum Duncan, Head of Conservation Scotland at the Marine Conservation Society and Convener of Scottish Environment LINK’s Marine Group, said: “Scotland’s seas are in […]
07 Apr 2023
What are “Highly Protected Marine Areas” (HPMAs)? Highly Protected Marine Areas are areas of the sea that are placed under strict protection to support ecosystem recovery and protect against climate change. The Scottish Government has committed to giving a small proportion – just 10% – of our seas this strict protection. This is in line […]
05 Apr 2023
No-one knows more than the communities living around Scotland’s vast coastline how important and stunning our seas are. The health of the ocean, and particularly the seabed, is at the heart of sustaining communities reliant on wildlife tourism, fishing and aquaculture. The ocean regulates half the oxygen we breathe. Our lives literally depend on it. […]
17 Dec 2020
As 2020 comes to an end, it is time to reflect on this challenging year, and the opportunities that lie ahead! As this challenging year comes to an end, we are all lifting our heads to the horizon for glimmers of hope. The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated how much we all rely on nature […]
24 Jul 2017
Guest blogger Sarah Dolman, Policy Manager at Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and Save Scottish Seas campaign member takes a look at Scotland’s nature conservation MPAs three years since their designation, and looks ahead to the next steps required.
26 May 2017
You might have heard about recent events at Loch Carron. Back in April there were reports that scallop dredging, a form of fishing that pulls heavy toothed metal rakes and chain bags along the seabed, had damaged a flame-shell reef in outer Loch Carron.
27 Oct 2016
Scotland’s offshore waters are far out, but we don’t want them to be out of mind. They are home to ancient, vulnerable deepwater coral reefs and sponges, ghostly fields of tall sea pen, unusual methane-seeps, aggregations of ocean quahog – among the oldest living things on the planet. They provide habitat for keystone species such […]
02 Aug 2016
There are a lot of heads swimming right now, as Brexit puts the proverbial shark amongst the mackerel. ‘Leaving the EU’ (whatever that actually ends up meaning in the evolving, devolving politics of the UK) does in theory have very significant implications for the management of our seas. Perhaps more than any other policy sphere […]
02 Aug 2016
A new report has shown that rare species could re-colonise Scotland’s seabed if given a chance to recover. The study – using predictive modelling to understand the distribution of Fan Mussels – reveals the massive potential of Scotland’s Marine Protected Areas to enrich the health and complexity of our seabed. Fan Mussels (Atrina fragilis) is […]
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