Scotland’s Seas cannot wait: Government postpones MPA protection yet again
The Scottish Government has announced further delays to the long-awaited consultation on inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and Priority Marine Features (PMF) fisheries management measures, postponing it until after the 2026 Scottish Parliament Elections.
This latest delay is deeply disappointing. These measures have already faced more than a decade of delay, despite repeated commitments from the Scottish Government to deliver meaningful protection for Scotland’s marine species and habitats. It is extremely frustrating to see continued setbacks in developing the management measures needed to ensure these areas receive the protection they urgently require.
The Scottish Government has a legal obligation to ensure that the MPA network is well-managed and ecologically coherent. To achieve their conservation objectives, management measures must be implemented to address direct threats from fishing activity and other pressures both within and beyond MPA boundaries.
Scotland’s marine environment is under increasing pressure and needs decisive action from our politicians now. Our seas are increasingly busy, noisy and polluted. Robust, evidence-based management is urgently needed to safeguard our marine environment, and to support the fishermen, coastal communities and wildlife that depend on healthy seas.
“Long-term monitoring carried out by HWDT clearly demonstrates the importance of the waters off the west coast of Scotland for a variety of species, and the range of pressures they are facing in a rapidly changing environment. These pressures continue year-round, irrespective of political timelines. Scotland’s seas have already waited long enough. ”