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2018 – a year packed with opportunity to discover Scotland’s seas

February 1st, 2018 by

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Scottish Parliament votes to support iconic mobile species

January 31st, 2018 by

Save Scottish Seas Campaign members welcomed today’s Scottish Parliament announcement to provide additional resources for the development of four nature conservation Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) including for some of Scotland’s most iconic mobile species. Following a call from the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Government has committed additional funding to support the designation of these important sites in a revised budget proposal that was put to a vote in Scottish Parliament.

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Don’t let our legacy be their burden

January 10th, 2018 by

2018, Scotland’s Year of Young People, must be the year Scotland invests in healthy seas for the benefit of current and future generations.

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Ocean fronts uncovered

December 14th, 2017 by

Guest blogger Esther Brooker, Marine Policy Officer at WWF Scotland, dives down to uncover ocean fronts and the important role they play in our seas.

Probably the most unusual and intangible feature listed for protection within Scotland’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) network, ocean fronts are not something that make the news regularly. Yet they are a crucial component in the life cycle of countless sea creatures – without the presence of fronts, our oceans would look very different.

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A Permanent Plastic Challenge

November 30th, 2017 by

Beach litter is on the rise on Scotland’s coastline, according to the results of the Marine Conservation Society Great British Beach Clean 2017 launched today. This year beach litter rose by 7% compared to 2016, with items classed as ‘on the go’ making up 17% of all litter found on beaches. MCS Sea Champion volunteer Jasmin Manning takes us through her top tips to reduce the use of single use plastics.

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How are Scotland’s bottlenose dolphins doing?

October 13th, 2017 by

Guest blogger Sarah Dolman, Policy Manager at Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and Save Scottish Seas campaign member takes a look at how Scotland’s incredible bottlenose dolphins are faring in our ever busier seas.

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Seagrass Meadows & Scotland’s Natural Capital

September 28th, 2017 by

Guest blogger Richard Lilley from Scottish Seagrass takes us underwater to explore Scotland’s Seagrass Meadows – productive coastal habitats that are an example of the valuable Natural Capital in Scotland’s Seas – and how you can get Seagrass Spotting to help map them!

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadow near Ord, Skye. Just one example of Scotland’s Natural Capital.

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Members of Scottish Parliament celebrate Scotland’s marine life

September 15th, 2017 by

Earlier this month, Save Scottish Seas campaign members took the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee to experience some of Scotland’s amazing marine life, and showcase Scotland’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). (more…)

What news for our seas in the Programme for Government?

September 15th, 2017 by

Scottish Government recently announced their Programme for Scotland for the next year. With the government committed to reaching the Aichi target to halt biodiversity loss by 2020, and developing a network of coherent Marine Protected Areas (MPA), we expect this to be a busy year to keep Scotland on track. There were many welcome commitments this week, including the long-hoped-for commitment to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, as well as commitments to increase protection for Priority Marine Features outside of MPAs, evaluate options for a deep sea marine reserve and develop a programme of research on blue carbon stores.   
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A look at the Lesser Sandeel

August 11th, 2017 by

Guest blogger Peadar O’Connell, Marine Policy Officer at RSPB Scotland, and Save Scottish Seas campaign member takes a closer look at the lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus), one of the incredible marine species swimming in Scotland’s seas.

Photo Credit: Steve Garvie

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