Our Seas

Coalition calling for urgent change in the way Scottish inshore waters are managed.

Sign the petition 👉

[Open Seas @TheOpenSeas]

Blink and you'll miss this topknot resting on the rocky seabed. Though usually an ordinary brown colour, they're capable of incredible camouflage to blend in with their colourful surroundings.

📸: Chris Rickard

[Open Seas @TheOpenSeas]

"A project to restore European flat oysters to their natural habitat in the Firth of Forth has seen one oyster double its expected growth size." 💃👏

https://t.co/uxAodi7iGF

[Open Seas @TheOpenSeas]

"We must take an evidence based approach to fisheries management."

We agree, we must, and yet... 👀

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

“People are amazed by the abundance of life here, but it faces real challenges from overfishing, fish farms and dredging. Being part of a group helping protect the underwater world is always something we’re keen to explore.”

Welcome, Kraken Diving! 🌊

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

Welcome to the newest member of the Our Seas Coalition, Kraken Diving! A husband and wife-run dive centre in Orkney, their aim is to show people the amazing diversity of marine life that make these cold waters in the north of Scotland their home.

[Open Seas @TheOpenSeas]

The Scottish Government is revising its National Marine Plan, aka the framework that decides what happens where in our seas.

However, instead of strengthening protections for the marine environment, the proposed update weakens them by removing key policies and dropping fisheries from the plan entirely.

A strong, evidence-based marine plan includes clear spatial management, and is essential for low-impact fisheries, and healthy marine habitats.

Read more about what's missing from the proposals and why it matters, in our latest blog ➡️ https://t.co/f9bvIaRV8z

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

Arianne added that “We need to reverse this chronic economic decline in our inshore fisheries by rebalancing fishing away from the use of damaging bottom towed gears, towards more sustainable forms of fishing through a just transition.”

More protection, more fish, more jobs.

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

Thank you @ArianeBurgessHI for putting forward these amendments to the National Environment Bill, such as a required target to limit bottom towed fishing gear in at least 30% of Scotland’s inshore waters,

Sign the #InshoreLimit petition https://t.co/7pj975wQwu

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

We urgently need regional management plans, proper stock assessments, and sustained investment in inshore fisheries science to secure the future of this vital fishery.

Sign the #InshoreLimit petition at https://t.co/7pj975wQwu

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

🦀 REPORT: ICES Sounds the Alarm on Brown Crab Fisheries Management

A new report from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), while not a full stock assessment, highlights a widespread lack of data on stock status, species ecology, and fishing pressure.

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

For Scotland, where brown crab is a cornerstone of inshore fisheries, this should be a wake-up call.

Read the report here: https://t.co/zjp2mb1RCR

[Open Seas @TheOpenSeas]

Scotland’s seas are home to incredibly diverse marine life, each species plays a part in the health and balance of our marine ecosystems & all depend on healthy seabed habitats to survive.

Here are just a few of the characters in Scotland's waters 🧵🌊🪸

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

Sign the #InshoreLimit petition today and look out for Our Seas’ full statement coming soon.

https://t.co/7pj975wiGW

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

The UK Government has awarded just 8% of the £360m Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund to Scotland with 84% of the fund going to England, despite Scotland accounting for almost 50% of UK fishing industry jobs and Scottish vessels accounting for over 60% of all UK landing value.

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

Our Seas are calling on the UK Government to urgently reconsider these fund allocations so that it accurately reflects the fishing industry’s geographical and allows support to get to where it is most needed. Our seas and coastal communities can’t afford to wait any longer.

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

We’re excited to welcome Open Road as the newest member of the Our Seas coalition!

Organisations and individuals across the country are calling on @scotgov to stop the chronic destruction of our seabed and revive inshore fishing. Learn more and join us at https://t.co/2xhQG3bSji

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

We’re delighted to welcome Seaful, a UK charity dedicated to connecting people to our ocean, to the Our Seas coalition, helping us to call for better protection of Scotland’s seabed.

Welcome, Seaful!

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

@FormerSpring Hello! We encourage Scottish residents to sign, but it’s all one ocean so we welcome signatures from everyone!

[Our Seas @ourseas_scot]

We’re well on the way to 15,000 people calling for better protection of Scotland’s inshore waters! Thank you to every individual who’s signed and shared their views to protect our seas.

Tell Scottish Government that we need to see change by signing here https://t.co/7pj975wiGW

[Nicola Hodgins @nicola_hodgins]

This scallop #dredger continues to plunder these waters. This is 'meant to be' an #MPA. Designated in 2020, 5 years on & it's nothing more than a paper park/tick-box exercise for @scotgov. Zero protection!! @ScotGovFM @MairiGougeon @TheOpenSeas #inshorelimit