03 Sep 2024

The Scottish Government’s decision to redirect £5 million from its Nature Restoration Fund to settle local government pay disputes has triggered widespread concern, especially within rural and environmental sectors. This fund, designed to combat climate change and biodiversity loss through conservation projects, has been vital for numerous initiatives across Scotland, such as saving rainforests, protecting […]

20 Aug 2024

The Scottish government has proposed new fisheries management measures for 20 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Scotland’s offshore waters to enhance the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems. The proposed measures include either zoned or full restrictions on the use of specified fishing equipment, such as demersal mobile and static gear, at 15 of these […]

23 Jul 2024

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, […]

08 Jul 2024

Projects to protect and restore Scotland’s coasts and seas have received more than £3.8 million from a vital marine fund over the last three years. A total of 54 projects across the country have so far benefited from funding through the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund (SMEEF). More than £4m is also already pledged from […]

02 Jul 2024

The Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government have released a report based on the returns of an annual survey questionnaire sent to all active authorised shellfish farming businesses in Scotland. Statistics on employment, production and value of shellfish from Scottish shellfish farms are presented.   Photo: Andy Castille Summary In 2023, 10,311 tonnes of common […]

25 Jun 2024

A survey of 1,005 Scottish adults revealed 95.7% of those surveyed believe retaining control over UK fisheries is crucial. The Opinions Matters survey was commissioned by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF). Additionally, 91% see fishing as vital to the UK economy, and 89.7% equate the importance of UK-produced food with energy. The poll highlights that […]