Marine conservation and education charity, the Scottish Seabird Centre, based in East Lothian, was thrilled to receive a grant of £249,685 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund earlier this year. The funding has been awarded to improve the overall sustainability of the Charity’s operations, develop partnerships with business and to better steward and grow its […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
A hi-tech underwater device that scans water samples for potentially dangerous algae blooms – the first of its type to be deployed in UK waters – has been operational for over a year at a Scottish Sea Farms site in Shetland. The Imaging FlowCytobot (IFCB) uses a combination of lasers and cameras to detect and […]
On the most northern island of the Orkney archipelago in Scotland, a mass stranding of 89 pilot whales is thought to be the biggest the country has seen in 100 years. A deteriorating situation Locals began reporting the stranded whales on the beaches of Sanday in the morning of Thursday the 11th, however, when rescuers […]
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 […]
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 […]