Scottish Seas

Marine issues in Scotland

Scotland's seas and coasts are home to an amazing range of marine species and habitats, from the sheltered sea lochs to the open waters, from seagrass beds to rocky reefs and underwater seamounts. Not only do such diverse habitats support thriving populations of sea mammals like otters, dolphins, whales and seals, but they are also home to vast numbers of seabirds, fish and other spectacular marine wildlife like seahorses, sponges and deepwater corals. The marine environment also supports numerous human activities including fisheries, tourism and will be a key area for the development of important marine renewable infrastructures.

Despite the importance of the marine environment, we are failing to manage it sustainably. This is why WWF Scotland is working to move management towards sustainability in line with international commitments to ensure the long term health of Scotland's marine species and habitats. Our work focuses attention on two main areas: working with key stakeholders to ensure that Scotland’s valuable fisheries have a future and promoting the effective implementation of the Marine (Scotland) Act.

Our fisheries work is carried out at local, European and international levels.
In Scotland we work alongside the fishing industry, the Scottish Government and other marine stakeholders to develop ways of sustainably managing fisheries. We participate in and support the Scottish Conservation Credits Scheme as a model that brings together key stakeholders to decide on how best to implement the EU cod recovery plan, to address the problem of discards and to reduce cod bycatch.

We support, promote and work with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in their efforts to get all Scottish Fisheries certified as sustainable in the coming years. This “blue tick” is an assurance for consumers that the fish they are buying comes from a well managed, sustainable fishery. In order to achieve MSC certification, fisheries are assessed according to rigorous criteria and if any area of the fishery is not considered sustainable then there is an opportunity to make the necessary changes in order to meet the standards laid down by MSC and in turn obtain certification. WWF Scotland has been particularly active in supporting the Clyde Fisheries Development Project working towards the certification of the valuable Nephrops fisheries.

At the European level, the main piece of Community law governing fisheries, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is under review. It is accepted that is has failed in its main aims of delivering sustainable and profitable fisheries. The CFP has failed to resolve the chronic problem of overcapacity – basically too many boats chasing too few fish - and it does not create adequate incentives for long-term conservation. It is vital that a new governance system is put in place if European fisheries are to survive. What is needed is a means of delivering long term health for the oceans and security for all who are dependent on them for their livelihoods and for food.

The current reform offers a once in a decade opportunity for change. It is a vital time for the fishing industry in Europe – and for the future of our seas. Here in Scotland we are working with the government, industry, other environmental organisations and the general public as well as with the wider WWF European network to secure the best deal for the health of our seas.

The three key elements WWF believe the reform must deliver are:

• Mandatory Long Term Management Plans (LTMPs) for all EU fisheries, to be in place by 2015. These plans must meet clear minimum standards set out in the new Regulation and aim to achieve centrally agreed targets; they must assess capacity and environmental impact because sound fisheries management decisions will be based on these assessments. These ecosystem based plans will move Europe away from the politically motivated annual quota negotiations and set fisheries on a more stable track towards rapid recovery.
• Effective Regionalisation. Stakeholders must be at the heart of the decision-making process. This can be accomplished with a new management regime which has Regional or Member State stakeholder development of the LTMPs, and co-management of the fisheries once the plans are in place. By involving stakeholders more directly, we will be able to design workable and effective management strategies to ensure that the EU meets its environmental commitments.
• Scope. The CFP principles should apply to all fisheries in EU waters, including the Mediterranean, and to European vessels wherever the fish in the world’s oceans.

To support our CFP reform work, in 2009 we produced a short film, Netgains, showcasing industry-led examples of efforts of improved governance across the EU. These case studies showed that letting industry take initiatives, boosting local control and monitoring and providing incentives for fishermen to favour ecosystem based approaches have been proving that with effective reform, sustainable and profitable fisheries can be achieved. Of the five case studies, two were Scottish – developing the more selective Orkney fishing gear and the use of technology to check the size of fish before they are caught (automatic jiggers) in the pelagic fleet. All the films can be watched online.


Marine Bill
WWF Scotland has long campaigned for a Marine Act to safeguard Scotland’s seas and in 2010 the Marine (Scotland) Act was passed. The Act provides a planning system for the whole of Scotland’s marine environment and a requirement to establish Marine Protected Areas. This follows on from the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act passed in 2009 and emerging legislation in Wales and Northern Ireland. WWF Scotland is working closely as a member of Scottish Environment LINK towards effective implementation of the Act to ensure it protects and enhances Scotland’s marine wildlife and ecosystems. WWF and LINK are working hard to ensure the Act delivers an ecologically coherent network of marine protected areas, managed according to the needs of the features they were designed to protect, and that the new marine planning system supports this work by adopting an ecosystem approach to manage the growing pressures of diverse human activities in an environmentally sustainable way.