For
a Scottish Marine Bill with the environment at its heartLatest News
July 2008
Scottish Marine Bill consultation: Marine Bill must be a lifeline
for Scotland’s seas
Scotland’s environment charities call for tough measures to protect and effectively manage Scotland's seas in a Scottish Marine Bill.
Read the LINK press release.
July 2008
Scottish Marine Bill consultation: Joint e-action launched to
Save Scottish Seas
The Government’s consultation on a Scottish Marine Bill was launched on the 14th July, as was our campaign action, calling for a Scottish Marine Bill with the environment at its heart, with effective protection for Scotland's marine wildlife and habitats.
Read some of the media coverage.
Read the LINK press release.
June 2008
Lyme Bay marine protection area first of its kind
UK Ministers have banned damaging types of fishing in 60 square miles of sea off the South West coast of England to protect threatened sea life. This closure is the first of its kind on this scale in the UK and a fantastic result for marine nature conservation. About ten per cent of Lyme Bay from West Bay to Beer Head will be permanently closed to scallop dredgers and bottom trawlers which drag nets along the seabed, to safeguard the area's rich marine life and habitats.
Read the BBC coverage.
Photo: Damage to reefs due to dedging is now banned in the Lyme Bay protection area © Paul Kay/MCS
June 2008
Fears for erosion of rich marine environment on Fair Isle
The Fair Isle Marine Environment and Tourism Initiative (FIMETI) say they have witnessed an erosion of the richness of the natural environment, which is also impacting on the community. They are concerned that, without concerted action, the resource will be devalued or lost.
Read the latest newsletter from FIMETI.
Photo: Fair Isle’s famous seabird colonies under threat © Elizabeth Riddiford 2008
May 2008
Arran Marine Conservation Area under threat?
The plans for UK’s first community marine conservation area as well as a fisheries management zone, announced in January, may be under threat say the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST), who have long been fighting for the establishment of the area just off the island. They now ask that supporters of the proposals write or email the Scottish Government, in order to secure the future of this unique project.
The Government consultation on the future of the Arran Community Marine Conservation Area ended on the 5th June.
Photo: Holy Isle, Lamlash Bay, Arran © Howard Wood, COAST
April 2008
New educational project celebrates Scotland’s cool seas
Environment minister Michael Russell was among the guests at the launch of Cool Seas Scotland, the new educational project run by the Marine Conservation Society, at an event in Largs on the 18th of April. The project will help educate children, families and wider communities about our seas and the unique wildlife that depends on them.
Photo: Lady Isabel Glasgow (Firth of Clyde Forum), Calum Duncan (MCS), Anne Saunders (MCS), Michael Russell, Environment Minister, Kenneth Gibson MSP and Provost Robert Rae (North Ayrshire Council) © MCS
April 2008
Extension of protected areas for seabirds a step in the right
direction
RSPB Scotland welcomed the Scottish Government announcement on April 18th to extend up to 31 Special Areas of Conservation for seabirds. However, they stressed that this should only be seen as a first step towards a comprehensive network of protected areas, as part of the forthcoming Marine Bill.
Photo: Puffin © RSPB Images
April 2008
UK Draft Marine Bill published - cross-border coordination now
needed to protect all UK seas
The draft UK Marine Bill is an important step towards streamlining legislation across the UK for better management and protection of our seas. Calum Duncan, the LINK Marine Task Force convenor, said: 'It is now critical that Westminster works closely with the devolved administrations to ensure a tight mesh between UK and devolved legislation in order to deliver effective management and proper protection for marine life throughout UK waters'.
Read the LINK press release >>
Defra's draft Bill and consultation webpage >>
Is it tough enough? Read the RSPB UK press release >>
Photo: Isle of Unst © Richard Luxmoore/NTS
April 2008
Scuba divers march on Westminster
Scuba divers marched on the Westminster parliament on April 3rd to deliver a 100.000 strong petition calling for marine reserves in the UK Marine Bill. The petition and march, organised by the Marine Conservation Society, coincided with the publication of the draft UK Marine Bill. Once finalised, the UK Marine Bill will cover all marine matters that are the responsibility of the UK government.
Photo: Scuba diver at Westminster © Tim Fanshawe/Marine Conservation Society
March 2008
Marine Bill campaign arrives at Labour conference
We continue to speak to political parties about the importance and urgency of a Scottish Marine Bill. This month we have been at the Scottish Labour conference in Aviemore, campaigning for strong nature conservation measures to safeguard Scotland's wildlife and resources for the future.
Photo: Prime Minister Gordon Brown MP © IMF
February 2008
LibDems discuss the role of a Marine Bill in safeguarding Scottish
tourism and coastal communities
Members of the Scottish Liberal Democrats attended a LINK event on the Scottish Marine Bill during their annual party conference in Aviemore in February/March. Speakers included Claire Matthews of North 58 Sea Adventures, a wildlife tourism operator in the Moray Firth, who spoke passionately about the links between a clean marine environment, healthy wildlife and the future of local tourism business and coastal communities.
Check out the North 58 website >>
Photo: Claire Matthews with Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney and spokesperson for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism for the LibDems, and Calum Duncan, Marine Conservation Society
February 2008
Green Blue marine enthusiasts consider Scottish Marine Bill
Speaking at a Green Blue event on environmental awareness in Gourock on the 21st of February, Calum Duncan, of the Marine Conservation Society, highlighted the great potential benefits of a Scottish Marine Bill for a healthy marine environment, sustainable development as well as for marina and water users.
Photo: Mark Wells, SEPA; Calum Duncan, MCS; Fiona Manson, SNH; Julia Christie and Sarah Black, Green Blue
February 2008
Marine Bill film launched during Scottish Environment Week
The LINK film, celebrating the many uses of our seas, had its premiere at an event on the future of Scotland's seas at the parliament, as part of Scottish Environment Week. Chaired by Peter Peacock MSP, the event was attended by over 60 people from a wide range of stakeholder groups.
Photo: Bill McDermott, Shellfish Farmer in Ardnamurchan, with Peter Peacock MSP – two of the speakers at the event
February 2008
Ship to ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth ditched
Forth Ports announcement on the 1st of February not proceed with the potentially damaging ship to ship transfers is great news for wildlife and communities in the Firth of Forth.
Photo: Forth bridge © Scottish Wildlife Trust
January 2008
Victory for local campaigners as marine conservation area is
created in Arran's Lamlash Bay
The UK's first community marine conservation area, as well as a fisheries management zone, will be created just off the island. The announcement by Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead on the 21 January was the result the campaigners at COAST - the Community of Arran Seabed Trust - have long been fighting for.
Check out the COAST website >>
Read the LINK press release >>
Photo: Holy Isle, Lamlash Bay, Arran © Howard Wood, COAST
January 2008
LINK report calls for protection of unique Scottish marine wildlife
The report 'Finding NIMAs - The case for Nationally Important Marine Areas', sets out the case for a network of Nationally Important Marine Areas as part of a Scottish Marine Bill. Without them, Scotland will not be abe to protect nationally important species and habitats, or meet international commitments.
January 2008
More protection needed for our warming seas
Further protection for marine biodiversity needed in face of growing evidence that climate change is having increasingly detrimental impact on our seas, warns RSPB Scotland.
Photo: The Arctic skua, one of the species that will have a hard time adjusting to predicted rises in temperatures ahead © RSPB Images
December 2007
Marine campaigners around Britain join forces
Marine campaign officers from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England meet in Edinburgh to plan their actions for 2008. All countries are working together to promote effective marine legislation for all UK seas.
Photo: Marine campaigners from LINKs around Britain have a day out in Edinburgh
November 2007
Lack of commitment to UK Marine Bill in Queen's Speech
Two years after the announcement of a draft bill, this year's Queen's Speech still did not include full committment to a UK Marine Bill. RSPB calls it a ' ...clear signal that threatened marine wildlife is not a priority for this government'.
October 2007
The Marine Bill Campaign comes to party conferences
The LINK Marine Bill campaign continues to speak to politicians and members of political parties about a Scottish Marine Bill. This month the campaign has been at the LibDems conference in Glasgow and the SNP conference in Aviemore.
Photo: Richard Dixon, Director WWF Scotland, Ylva Haglund, LINK Marine Bill Campaign Officer and Jonny Hughes, Head of Policy at Scottish Wildlife Trust, with Cabinet Secretary for the Environment Richard Lochhead. (centre)
October 2007
Scotsman joins campaign for a Marine Bill
The Scotsman newspaper has joined in the effort to save our seas with the launch of their own campaign for a Scottish Marine Bill. Articles have dealt with species under threat, fishing, the effects of climate change on our seas and much more.
To read all the articles in the series and to pledge your support, go to: http://www.scotsman.com/saveourseas
October 2007
300,000 strong petition calls for a UK Marine Bill
The Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, Marine Conservation Society and WWF have collected over 300,000 petitions from their supporters, demanding a UK Marine Bill included in the Queen’s Speech in November. The petitions were handed over to Prime Minister Gordon Brown on October 17th. A UK Marine Bill is needed to make sure that all UK seas are protected.
September 2007
Brown crab maimed at St Kilda World Heritage Site – Marine
Conservation Society press release
The Marine Conservation Society reported on the lack of protection for wildlife even at Scotland’s world heritage site.
September 2007
Marine Bill lost at sea? – LINK press release
LINK’s response to the new government’s next legislative programme, which did not include a focus on a Scottish Marine Bill.
August 2007
RSPB pledges demand: Safeguard our sealife !
RSPB Scotland handed over more than 4000 pledge cards from their members, calling for a swift introduction of a Marine Bill, to Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment in Kirkwall, Orkney.
Photo: Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead and RSPB Area Manager for Orkney, Eric Meek
