Scotland’s salmon farming industry has been the focus of much attention over the last few years, and most recent developments have focused around its impact on marine mammals.

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As 2020 comes to an end, it is time to reflect on this challenging year, and the opportunities that lie ahead!

As this challenging year comes to an end, we are all lifting our heads to the horizon for glimmers of hope. The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated how much we all rely on nature for our health and well-being and across the globe, people are calling on governments to build back better and work together for a brighter, fairer and more sustainable future. (more…)

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Our ocean remains in desperate need of recovery. International expert reports[1][2][3] released in 2019 underlined the stark consequences for biodiversity and ecological systems due to climate change and human overexploitation of living resources on land and sea. Since then, the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought our world close to standstill, with the tragic loss of countless lives and economic challenges that many countries will be dealing with for years to come.

One major realisation has to emerge from this crisis: understanding and appreciation of the fundamental role nature plays in underpinning society. (more…)

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…and why it must start now.

A walk along the beach, kayaking around the coast encountering porpoise and orca, fishing for a living or for leisure, and childhood seaside summer holidays – everyone has a story to tell about the value of the ocean. Imagine all that gone or irrevocably changed, and our children or grandchildren could not share in these experiences or livelihoods. If the condition of our seas continues to decline on current trajectories, this may well be the case.

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Calling all filmmakers!

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How Decisions on Fishing Opportunities in 2020 Will ‘Set the Stage’ for the Future of Our Seas

It has been a challenging year for marine and terrestrial environments across the globe. Multiple reports[1] have highlighted the concerning state of the environment, the tipping point we are reaching, and the need for transformative change in how we manage and use the Earth’s natural resources to avoid “eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide”[2].

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The deep sea, technically defined as the areas below 200 m water depth, is the largest Ecosystem on Earth but the least explored. Guest blogger Dr Georgios Kazanidis, Post-Doctorate Research Associate in Deep-Sea Biodiversity at the University of Edinburgh and the H2020 ATLAS project, shares some of his insights about this incredible environment.

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Cod is more than a commodity, it’s vital for North Sea health – Calum Duncan

Earlier this year, the intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on ­Biodiversity and Ecosystem ­Services (IPBES) published the most ­comprehensive assessment ever conducted on the global state of nature. The stark conclusion was that nature is undergoing dangerous rates of decline unprecedented in human history, eroding the very foundations of our economies, ­livelihoods, food production, health and quality of life worldwide.
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Today, 24th July, marks the 5th anniversary of the Scottish Government’s historic announcement, designating 30 new nature conservation marine protected areas and proposing a further 4 for the protection of features including Risso’s dolphin, minke whale and basking shark (which are under public consultation now!).

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A long-awaited public consultation on proposals for four new marine protected areas in Scottish Seas has launched – fittingly, the day before World Oceans Day.

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