14 May 2024

The Scottish Government and teams have published a paper detailing the positive results of targeted protection for the critically endangered flapper skate within a Marine Protected Area (MPA). Evidence informed MPAs The Loch Sunart to the Sound of Jura MPA was established in 2014 with fisheries measures, such as fisheries closures and fishing gear restrictions, […]

30 Apr 2024

The world’s biggest floating wind farm has been given the go-ahead off the Aberdeen coast. The £3 billion floating offshore wind project from developers Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn has been granted offshore planning approval. The project titled Green Volt, has now received all its planning approvals and remains on track to be the first commercial-scale […]

30 Apr 2024

Mairi Gougeon MSP, the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform, and Islands, has written to Finlay Carson, the Chair of the Rural Affairs and Island Committee, to address the concerns regarding the sand eel fishing ban in Scotland and the challenge raised by the EU. The European Commission said that the ban […]

02 Apr 2024

Scotland’s First Minister, the Rt Hon. Humza Yousaf MSP officially opened the world’s first dedicated innovation centre for floating offshore wind on the 18th March. In Aberdeen’s Energy Transition Zone, ORE Catapult’s £9 million National Floating Wind Innovation Centre (FLOWIC), delivered in collaboration with ETZ Limited, has been designed to help the development of floating […]

26 Mar 2024

The Scottish Government is now consulting on legislative proposals which would enable Scottish Ministers to introduce a registration process for marine nature restoration projects, and apply Marine Conservation Orders to habitats and species undergoing restoration and standalone European marine sites. The feedback provided in the consultation will help to decide whether the legislative proposals will […]

26 Mar 2024

Draft legislation requiring Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) on scallop dredge and large pelagic vessels in Scottish waters have been introduced in Parliament. Marine Directorate Scotland has stated that the implementation of ‘The Sea Fisheries (Remote Electronic Monitoring and Regulation of Scallop Fishing) (Scotland) Regulations 2024’ will oversee a crucial role in supporting more sustainable fisheries […]

19 Mar 2024

New social research publication from the Scottish Government explores what influences the decision making of Scottish fishers. It presents findings from twelve interviews with fishers. The main findings are focused on the social, economic, governance, and environmental drivers in fishers’ decision making. The report titled “What factors influence the strategies and choices of Scottish fishers? […]

06 Mar 2024

Action and investment are needed to reduce the risk of flood and drought and protect water supplies from the impacts of climate change across Scotland. A new plan published by Scottish Water outlines the efforts it will take to make services and infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather. Over the past decade, the public utility […]