Sandy beach and clear sea at Seilebost on the isle of Harris in the Western isles of Scotland Helen Hotson

Our focus in Scotland

Scotland is home to 13% of Europe’s seas and 62% of the UK’s. We've been working to protect Scotland's seas for over 20 years.

Marine conservation and fisheries management are devolved which means they’re the responsibility of the Scottish Government. We lead the Save Scottish Seas coalition to influence the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament on all matters marine.

So far, we’ve been instrumental in:

  • achieving the Marine (Scotland) Act
  • creating 36 new MPAs including the largest in Europe
  • implementing a National Marine Plan
  • gaining protection for the most vulnerable inshore MPAs from fishing
  • getting commitment for an all-in Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers
  • bringing about bans on cotton bud sticks and microbeads
  • successfully helping make the case for a new fisheries strategy for Scotland.

But there’s still much to be done as pressures continue to build on Scottish seas.

Our team will continue to put the recovery of Scotland's seas front and centre of all agendas.