Recovery for Scotland’s Marine Environment

What is the problem?

Many marine species are in decline and marine habitats have been degraded or destroyed, due to various human activities. Scottish Environment LINK have recently commissioned an independent report which makes the case for the need to recover Scotland’s marine environment.

Human induced changes to the marine ecosystem result not only in the permanent loss of wildlife, but also in damage to the economy, as fishing, wildlife tourism and other industries suffer the consequences.

To ensure proper protection of Scotland’s seas, statutory measures should be in place both to protect species and sites. In addition, wider policies which could affect the environment should be underpinned by the need to maintain and improve the health of the Scottish marine area.

Maintaining the health of the entire ecosystem through species and site protection and wider policy measures would ensure that our seas support economic activity for future generations.
Over 80% of the value of Scotland’s ecosystem services (the vital functions that support life on earth, including flows of material and energy and food production) derives from its estuaries and territorial waters, at over £14 bn. (Williams et al, 2003 The Value of Scotland’s ecosystem services and natural capital. European Environment Volume 13, Issue 2, pp.67-78)

Scotland’s marine wildlife tourism is a growing industry, directly providing over 2500 jobs and earning £57 m revenue a year. (Scottish Executive, 2005)

What is the Solution?

The Marine (Scotland) Bill should place a duty on Scottish Ministers to improve the health of Scotland’s seas, in line with international commitments.

LINK welcome the recommendation in the Stage 1 Report of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee that the Bill place a duty on the Scottish Ministers and all relevant public bodies, when exercising functions, to have regard to the need to maintain and improve the health of the Scottish marine area.

Recovering Scotland’s Marine Environment

Recovering Scotland’s Marine Environment is an independent report by Dr David Hughes and Dr Thom Nickell from the Scottish Association for Marine Science.

Focusing on features for which there is good evidence of decline, the report makes a strong case that Scotland’s marine environment is in a far from pristine state and is in real need of recovery. Many habitats and species have been seriously depleted over a long period as a result of human activities, fragile habitats are particularly vulnerable to some mobile fishing gear, while the discharge of organic waste and water-borne chemical contaminants can also lead to the depletion of certain species. Unsustainable fishing practices have led to the decline of some fish stocks.

There is no doubt that a healthy marine environment is an ecologically and economically productive one. Therefore the case studies presented in the report, including the destruction of seabed habitats like oyster and maerl beds, that once supported entire ecosystems and provided nursery grounds for scallops and fish, have ultimately damaged the engine house of our marine economy including fisheries.

The report highlights some good examples of improved marine management, such as ongoing work to reduce fish farm impacts. A number of Scottish fisheries have also adopted technical conservation measures including selective gear and closed areas, reducing discards and enabling vulnerable species to show signs of recovery, and many fisheries are now MSC accredited, with several more under assessment. Scottish fisheries management has taken a leading role in Europe towards species recovery by adopting Long Term Management Plans (LTMPs) for certain species or through the Conservation Credits Scheme.

Ecosystems can recover, however these first steps need to be supported by a strong national framework of action for recovery across Scotland’s entire marine environment. Restoring even a fraction of that lost abundance and prosperity will require co-ordination of effort, planning that takes account of the needs of the environment, use of sustainable fishing methods and the long-term protection of keystone habitats and species.

The Marine (Scotland) Bill is the best chance in our lifetimes to unite all our efforts to restore Scotland’s seas to better health, abundance and productivity.

But the Marine Bill as it stands will only manage the status quo. It will not bring about any improvement in the wider seas outside marine protected areas.