Open Seas

Our Research Officer, Anna visited Edinburgh University to speak with Marine Systems and Policies MSc students about the backstory to our strategic litigation of the Scottish Government’s marine licensing decisions. For the past seven years, Open Seas has been documenting the environmental impacts of damaging fishing methods, with support from communities across Scotland. The evidence gathered has helped support our legal case, where Scotland’s highest civil court concluded that the Scottish Government has a duty to act in accordance with the National Marine Plan and prevent harm to seabed habitats. Want to learn more? Click the link below to read more about our Legal Challenge: https://bit.ly/3IGaDnh

We're now on BlueSky! Stay connected for the latest updates on our investigations, research and campaigns. Join us there on: https://lnkd.in/eEp8jj7N SEA you soon!🐳 🐟 You can also connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and X.

A long time in the making… Great to see the Scottish Government today recognising the vital connections between marine habitats and the life dependent on them in the new action plan for Scotland’s #seabirds Support RSPB Scotland's call for strong and urgent action to protect the food supply of seabirds: https://lnkd.in/e5P7Tpgd

We're delighted to have such a super talented array of experts joining us to teach on Turning the Tide this year! Taking the lead on our guest modules will be Philip Rhodri Taylor from Open Seas, Catherine Gemmell-Simpson from Marine Conservation Society, Dan Paris from Scottish Environment LINK and Ellen Bradley from UK Youth for Nature! A reminder our intro session with Ocean Generation is this evening at 5.30pm - be sure not to miss it! Register at: bit.ly/ttt-intro

This month we stood alongside The Scottish Rewilding Alliance to present a vision for a #RewildingNation to Minister for Climate Action Dr Alasdair Allan MSP. Polls show that 80% of people in Scotland want their government to take action on rewilding, unlocking benefits like jobs, better health, sustainable food, clean air and water, and stronger communities. Check out The Scottish Rewilding Alliance Pathway to a Rewilding Nation, guiding the Scottish Government on how to take action. https://lnkd.in/ePVYmBWJ The task now is to create a movement for nature and people. #ClimateAction #NatureRecovery #RewildingNation #Biodiversity #BringBackTheFish

Scottish Pro-surfer Pheobe takes an underwater stand for Scotland’s seas! https://lnkd.in/eYesuRiR Please support the @OurSeas_Scot coalition campaign to protect our seas and #BringBacktheFish

The BBC Food & Farming Awards celebrates some of the best food producers around the UK.  The people shortlisted for this are the beacons for what our food system could - and should - be.  They are all operating in a wider food system that often prioritises short-term profit over long-term sustainability. At the awards ceremony, it was great to see lower-impact seafood being championed - with creel-caught shellfish at a shortlisted local business in Dervaig The Piece Box and chef Gary Robinson high praise for the quality of hand-dived scallops. We echo the rallying call of Adam Henson from BBC Countryfile who thought the awards deserve an even bigger public profile, equivalent to the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. These people are our food system heroes! #BBCFoodAwards #sustainableseafood

Broken promises are undermining the future health of Scotland’s seas. In June 2023, Scottish Ministers committed to start a consultation on their plans to protect Scottish inshore Marine Protected Areas in 2024 - with just one month left, where is it?!

Scottish Ministers continue to fail to deliver their promises! The Scottish Government designated "Marine Protected Areas" in 2014 to protect the most sensitive parts of our seas - 10 years later most remain without any protection. Scotland’s seas and its people deserve better. ➡️ Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/e-5X4n3A

Bycatch is the catching of non-target species, like flapper skate, thornback rays, and juvenile fish, during commercial fishing - it is common when bottom-trawling for scampi due to the small mesh size of the nets used. It impacts marine biodiversity and vulnerable species, disrupting how ecosystems function. For species already at risk, like flapper skates, bycatch can push populations closer to the brink. Take a look at this guide about marine life that gets caught up in the bycatch of bottom-trawling for scampi. What can be done? Scottish and UK Governments have legal duties to minimise bycatch as much as possible. Improving bycatch monitoring, supporting seafood from responsible sources and promoting policies that minimize bycatch are vital steps for securing healthier seas. You can support the campaign by visiting: https://lnkd.in/eqgFaTB3 #SayNoToScampi #discardless #bycatch