What is the Scottish government doing to protect marine protected areas?

The Scottish government is planning to launch a public consultation on introducing fisheries management measures to restrict trawling and dredging in the country's inshore marine protected areas.

What are campaigners demanding from the Scottish government regarding marine protected areas?

Campaigners are urging the Scottish government to introduce "proper protection" for Scotland's marine protected areas, including a ban on trawling and dredging, to allow the marine environment to recover and thrive.

Home / Environment / Scotland Vows to Restrict Destructive Fishing in Marine Protected Areas

Scotland Vows to Restrict Destructive Fishing in Marine Protected Areas

Q: How have Scotland's inshore waters been affected by destructive fishing practices?

Experts warn that Scotland's inshore waters have suffered from "destructive bottom trawling for far too long," damaging vital habitats and species as well as the health of local fisheries and coastal communities.

19 Oct

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Summary

Campaigners urge Scottish government to ban trawling and dredging in marine protected areas
Inshore waters have suffered from "destructive bottom trawling for far too long"
Proper protection needed to help fish stocks recover and marine ecosystems thrive

Scotland Vows to Restrict Destructive Fishing in Marine Protected Areas

In the lead-up to a public consultation on fisheries management measures for Scotland's inshore marine protected areas (MPAs), campaigners are urging the Scottish government to take decisive action to safeguard these "precious ecosystems."

Over the past few weeks, the government has implemented new rules to restrict fishing in 20 offshore MPAs, but conservationists argue that similar protections are urgently needed for the country's inshore waters, which they describe as the "jewel in the crown" of Scotland's marine environment.

Experts warn that these inshore areas have suffered from "destructive bottom trawling for far too long," damaging vital habitats and species as well as the health of local fisheries and coastal communities. Campaigners are now calling for a complete ban on trawling and dredging within MPAs, insisting that these practices have no place in protected zones.

The Scottish government has acknowledged the need to support healthy marine ecosystems and the industries that rely on them. Officials say they aim to launch a public consultation on the remaining fisheries management measures for inshore MPAs by the end of November 2025, as part of their ongoing efforts to restore the country's seas.

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