Since 2023, the Our Seas Coalition has been collating testimonies from across Scotland of people’s first-hand experiences and local knowledge of Scotland’s inshore Seas ahead of its touring “Coastal Testimonies” exhibition.
The exhibition involved gathering testimonies and portrait photographs from individuals from around Scotland including commercial fishers, skippers, sea anglers, politicians, naturalists, scientists, local businesses, community representatives, artists, and those with recreational interests.
Concern across Scottish communities
Of those surveyed in some of Scotland’s coastal communities – including Eyemouth, Fraserburgh, Kinlochbervie, Kirkcudbright, Lochinver, Oban, Portree, Stonehaven, Troon, Ullapool and Wick – 67%s of residents fear a decline in the health of fisheries in the last two decades.
This contrasts with those who are not from coastal communities, where the result was 40% of survey respondents thinking the health of the country’s fisheries has declined in the past 20 years.
Credit: Our Seas Twitter/X
In addition, the survey of found that 86% of respondents believe the way Scotland’s fish populations are managed is important for the resilience and viability of coastal communities.
Commissioned by Survnation, the survey conducted two public surveys – a national online survey of 2034 individuals and a regional telephone poll in coastal towns and villages with 432 respondents.
Hayley Wolcott, co-ordinator of the Our Seas Coalition, said the project had been set up to “promote a better understanding of inshore environmental and fisheries issues” by using personal accounts to “inspire greater dialogue and action within communities”.
Ms Wolcott added “Our surveys suggest that concern about the condition of our ocean is actually already highest in coastal communities, because they are closest to the many issues facing our marine environment.
“However, coastal communities are often marginalised in decision-making. It is so important that decision-makers listen to the people living close to the sea, people in communities who see changes through the generations and want to see better political decisions.”
Touring exhibition
The research was commissioned by the Our Sea’s coalition, an alliance of 140+ coastal businesses, community groups, fishermen’s associations and environmental organisations that campaigns for the environmental recovery of Scotland’s coastal marine environment and the revival of sustainable inshore fisheries.
Launched in Eyemouth on the 19th July, the multimedia exhibition aims to showcase the voices of those who live in Scotland’s coastal communities. Those who provided testimonies and who were photographed spoke about their own connection to the water.
Ian McWhinney, a fisherman from Badachro in Wester Ross, spoke about whether any of his children will be able to follow him into the industry, saying: “In my lifetime, I have seen all sorts of inshore fisheries collapse.
“So unless we do something about it very soon, I find it very difficult that they’ll have a future in the fishing industry here because there won’t be a fishing industry left.”
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