More than 15,000 people have signed the Our Seas petition to protect at least 30% of inshore waters from bottom-trawling and dredging. If you want to know more about where each party stands on protection of the marine environment, check out this blogby Open Seas.
Bally Philps, coordinator of the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation argues that “making space” is essential for the survival of Scotland’s inshore fisheries and communities. Read his article here.
At the UK level, Defra published its updated UK Marine Strategy Part One on 7 April 2026 – the first full update since 2019. The headline finding is stark: the UK is failing to meet Good Environmental Status in 13 out of 15 indicators used to measure ocean health – despite Marine Protected Areas now covering 38% of its waters. Fish communities are deteriorating, seabed habitats continue to decline, marine bird populations are falling, and overall ecosystem health remains mixed. Read more here.