Open Seas

This week a scallop dredger has been scraping what remains of life from the seabed inside a so-called Marine Protected Area around the Isle of Rùm. (footage shared by a concerned islander) 🧵

New year, fresh intros. Follow along and sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date 🌊🦞🛥️ openseas.org.uk/get-on-board-2/

🦞 Open Seas is hiring! 🦞 We’re looking for maternity cover of a dynamic role as the Digital and Communications Officer. You’ll help craft engaging digital content and drive public campaigns that raise awareness of seafood sustainability and marine protection. Closing date: 8th January 2026 To apply, visit the link below: goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP10…

And read the latest: mailchi.mp/e9d32cf3f1e0/o…

Our latest newsletter is here 🦞📩 From disappointing delays & ignored scientific advice, to sustainable seafood lunches & new partnerships, this is what we've been up to at Open Seas. Stay up to date on our work by signing up to our newsletter here: openseas.org.uk/get-on-board-2/

On bbc Scotland discussing the humpbacks at #Ullapool and the hopefull signs of recovery in the Wester Ross Marine Protected Area. Sadly time constraints saw the bits about entanglement risks and the need for greater investment in weighted ropes cut. #WesterRossMPA #Whales 🐳🤞

We’re proud to announce that we’ve been accepted as an Environmental Partner with @1PercentFTP, joining a global network of vetted, high-impact organisations working to protect and restore the natural world. This recognition highlights the strength of our work to safeguard Scotland’s seas. Whether we’re gathering evidence from our research vessel, exposing harmful and illegal activity at sea, supporting coastal communities, or advocating for stronger political action, our team is securing a healthier, fairer future for marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them. Our seas are under unprecedented pressure and this partnership boosts our capacity to protect them. 📸: Marla Tomorug

"No area of seabed around Scotland achieves good ecological status, despite the first marine strategy being published in 2015. This is distressing in its own right, but also erodes the quality of life for current and future generations." 📖: holyrood.com/comment/view,s…

🦞 Open Seas is hiring! 🦞 We’re looking for maternity cover of a dynamic role as the Digital and Communications Officer. You’ll help craft engaging digital content and drive public campaigns that raise awareness of seafood sustainability and marine protection. Closing date: 8th January 2026 To apply, visit the link below: goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP10…

Negotiations on fish stocks for 2026 have now concluded, and it's not good news; many stocks are in decline, but, once again, total catch levels for some stocks - including North Sea cod - are being set above scientific advice. Agreeing, and adhering to, sustainable catch limits is the bare minimum of sound fisheries management, and avoids the collapse of fish populations. The UK Government explicitly recognises this (see statement below). Yet - despite this - the UK and other coastal states are still allowing fishing fleets to extract more of some stocks than our seas can support. Northern Shelf cod should be on life support, but thousands of tonnes will be permitted in excess of the scientific advice for “zero catch”. This is the opposite of sound management. The UK must now set strict terms and conditions for fishing in its waters, giving preferential access to vessels using lower-impact, highly selective gears, and those adopting remote monitoring technology that verifies that what’s caught is what’s landed. These steps are critical to protect and restore the marine environment on which the fishing industry - and all of us - depend. gov.uk/government/new…

It seems we spoke too soon in asking for better treatment of our seas as the Scottish Government announce a major delay on their Marine Protected Areas and Priority Marine Features consultation. Due last month and now anticipated for after the May 2026 election, the Scottish Government had the opportunity to protect critical species and habitats, while helping to restore the inshore waters that the fishing industry and coastal communities rely on. Instead it has yet again delayed despite clear legal duties requiring ministers to protect the marine environment. We’ve watched as critical Scottish marine ecosystems have been degraded, year after year and decade after decade, through a complete failure to protect it. We can't wait any longer. Environmental groups, fishermen and coastal communities are clear on this - we need robust measures to protect our inshore waters and allow damaged sea-bed habitats to recover. Without those protections, we risk the destruction of critical eco-systems and iconic species.

At Open Seas we spend a lot of time out on the water conducting surveys to assess the health of the seabed. This means we witness first hand the clear signs that where the seas are protected, life returns, and where they are not, habitats remain flattened and barren. Sadly, the extent of thriving habitats in Scotland's waters is shrinking and with it fishing opportunities, jobs, and the resilience of coastal communities. Decades of destructive fishing methods have driven habitat loss, stock declines, and a growing pressure on those who depend on the sea. In the coming days, the Scottish Government will publish its proposed consultation on Marine Protected Areas and Priority Marine Features. This is a real opportunity to choose recovery over continued decline, not just for our marine environment, but for the fisheries sector that is so deeply intertwined with healthy seas. Stay tuned to learn more soon. #RestoreTheInshore #CoastsInCrisis

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

"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." 💃👏 thenational.scot/news/national/…

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 ➡️ openseas.org.uk/news/fair-and-…

Still thinking about those hand-dived scallops from our #DivedNotDredged lunch at The Gannet last weekend 🍽️😋 A huge thank you again to chefs @PeterTheGannet and @SkyeChefMonty for an incredible menu that showed just how good sustainable seafood can be, why how we catch our seafood matters, and the importance of declaring catch methods on menus. Celebrating the chefs and low-impact fishermen who prioritise sustainable sourcing is what helps keep Scotland’s fisheries sector transparent and truly world-class.

Today on #WorldFisheriesDay, and everyday, we’re calling for a fairer, more sustainable future for Scotland’s fishing communities. Overfishing and its harmful methods continue to destroy sensitive seabeds, while key fish stocks are in decline. Meanwhile, the UK and Scottish Governments’ new proposals fail to match the urgency needed to protect both our seas and coastal livelihoods. We're encouraged by the support of seafood businesses, chefs and low-impact fishermen who are proving that a sustainable approach and the seafood industry can go hand in hand. With a consultation for the National Marine Plan 2 just around the corner, now is the time to secure a healthy future for Scotland's seas.

"We must take an evidence based approach to fisheries management." We agree, we must, and yet... 👀

“Is this government science-led or not?” Very powerful stuff from @ArianeBurgessHI yesterday, speaking in the Scottish Parliament. At the debate on Supporting Scotland’s Fishing Industry, the Highlands and Islands MSP made the case for sustainable decision-making over the future of fisheries in Scotland. Properly managing our seas means making sure critical species have a long-term future – without healthy ecosystems, our fishing industry cannot thrive.

Thank you to Edinbane Lodge and The Gannet for hosting such a delicious lunch, and to @gusbourne wine for the generous drinks sponsorship 🦞🍽️🍷

But hand-dived scallops show there is a better, more selective and low-impact way to harvest outstanding seafood, and for 12 years The Gannet has been leading the way by putting catch methods on the menu.

Yesterday at The Gannet in Glasgow we held our #DivedNotDredged lunch with chefs @PeterTheGannet and @SkyeChefMonty, celebrating Scotland’s hand-dived scallops and the need to back low-impact fishing methods.