19 Aug 2025
Photo by Yomex Owo The Scottish Government’s new seabird conservation action plan has received a mixed reception from conservationists, with leading wildlife groups welcoming the strategy whilst warning that recent offshore wind farm approvals could undermine its effectiveness. The Scottish Seabird Conservation Action Plan, launched on 13 August at the Scottish Seabird Centre in […]
05 Aug 2025
Photo of Gannets on Bass Rock by Kristin Snippe The Scottish Government has approved one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms, the Berwick Bank project, despite fierce opposition from conservation groups who warn it could drive vulnerable seabird species toward extinction. The 4.1 gigawatt development, located 23 miles off Scotland’s east coast in […]
04 Mar 2025
The UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has delivered a roadmap to guide how we observe the ocean to increase our understanding of the potential impacts of expanding offshore wind developments on the marine environment. The Scoping an Offshore Wind Sustained Observation Programme report was commissioned by the Scottish Government’s Scottish Marine Energy Research Programme, to help […]
21 Jan 2025
The Scottish government has been criticised for its “slow progress” on regulating the salmon farming industry by a parliamentary inquiry held by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee. The report reveals that MSPs “seriously considered” calling for a moratorium on new farms and expansion of existing sites due to concerns over persistently high salmon mortality rates but […]
22 Dec 2024
UK and Scottish Ministers have presented reports to the two Parliaments setting out progress and information on the Marine Protected Area network for Scotland, and English waters (inshore and offshore) and Northern Ireland offshore waters. This is a requirement under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA). Key facts […]
17 Dec 2024
Climate change, invasive non-native species such as brown rat, food shortages and other pressures are contributing to the dramatic declines seen in seabird numbers. Almost two thirds of Scotland’s seabird species have declined over the last 20 years, with eight including the Arctic tern, kittiwake and black-headed gull declining by more than 50%. The draft […]
03 Dec 2024
The Scottish Government has published the response to its March 2024 consultation on legislative proposals for marine nature restoration. The consultation explored two related legislative proposals: 1) To take powers to introduce a registration process for marine restoration projects that fall below a threshold of environmental impact, in lieu of having to apply for a […]
12 Nov 2024
Scotland adopted its first National Marine Plan in 2015, with the aim of helping to manage the use of Scotland’s seas in a sustainable way. In 2022 work began to create an updated national marine plan, to better reflect how the sea is currently being used, and to plan for its continued and sustainable future […]
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