24 Mar 2026
Photo by Ramon Vloon Scotland’s £16 million Marine Fund has reopened for applications, with Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon announcing the expanded scheme during a visit to Dunbar harbour. But the launch has been met with immediate criticism from conservation and coastal community groups who warn that the fund’s eligibility criteria are too narrowly drawn to […]
17 Mar 2026
Photo by Bob Brewer The Scottish Government has concluded that no new regulation is needed to address fish mortality on salmon farms, following the publication of a Marine Directorate research report into persistent elevated deaths at marine sites. The finding, presented to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 11 March, has […]
24 Feb 2026
Photo by Maxwell Andrews The Orkney Islands Regional Marine Plan has been formally adopted by Scottish Ministers, establishing a statutory framework for managing marine activities out to 12 nautical miles from the coast. The plan, the second of its kind for the Orkney Islands Scottish Marine Region, sets binding policy for a wide range of sectors […]
03 Feb 2026
Photo by Waldemar Brandt The Scottish Government has published an updated Offshore Wind Policy Statement, raising its offshore wind ambition to up to 40 GW of new capacity by 2040, in addition to already operational or consented projects. The policy update, published on 28 January 2026, reaffirms Scotland’s commitment to delivering its existing project […]
16 Dec 2025
Photo by Andrew D Environment charities have reacted with frustration after the Scottish government announced that fisheries restrictions in marine protected areas, originally due to be implemented in 2016, are to be delayed for the fourth time. Gillian Martin, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, announced this week that the consultation on inshore fisheries management measures for […]
25 Nov 2025
Photo by Tanya Barrow The Scottish Government has launched a public consultation on 11 proposed joint UK fisheries management plans for demersal fish stocks, marking a significant step in delivering sustainable management of Scotland’s valuable whitefish fisheries. The plans cover eleven different demersal fish stocks, species that live and feed on or near the […]
21 Oct 2025
Photo by Andy Grayson The Scottish Government has implemented new fisheries management measures protecting over 176,900 km² of Scotland’s 20 offshore Marine Protected Areas and Special Areas of Conservation from bottom-towed fishing gear. The restrictions, which came into effect on 16th October, represent a significant step forward for marine conservation but have sparked debate […]
08 Sep 2025
Photo by NOAA Scotland has announced new restrictions on bottom trawling across offshore Marine Protected Areas, representing what officials describe as a “major milestone” in marine protection, though environmental groups have criticised the measures for deliberately leaving the most heavily fished areas open. The fisheries management measures, coming into effect from 16th October, cover twenty MPAs […]
