CONSERVATION

Supporting marine conservation in Scotland

Scotland’s natural capital is vital not only for its intrinsic value, but also for its impact on current and future economic prosperity. Scotland’s Forum on Natural Capital Steering Group wrote to the Scottish Government in December 2022, ahead of the Biodiversity COP15 in Montreal, in an attempt to galvanise financial investment by governments and businesses to support nature’s recovery. (Source: www.naturalcapitalscotland.com).

Securing the future of our natural capital, including our diverse marine environment requires support not only of government and businesses, but also at an individual level. The recent Ocean Literacy survey (see statistics on right) indicates an enthusiasm for individual and community action (Source: Ocean Conservation Trust):

Ocean Literacy is also one of the social outcomes for Scotland’s Blue Economy. This encompasses access to learning, valuing and respecting Scotland’s seas, being inspired to pursue marine careers and skills, making informed life choices, and being empowered to participate in governance and decision-making forums about Scotland’s sea.

We can harness individual and community enthusiasm, building ocean literacy as well as advocating for policy and behavioural changes at industry and government level.

Our goal is to ensure marine habitats and wildlife are adequately protected, restored and resilient to these pressures.

74% of people have or plan to make lifestyle changes to protect the marine environment

69% cited climate change as their main motivator for making lifestyle changes

50% surveyed had visited the marine environment in the last 12 months – an increase of

10%

To support this we are developing, demonstrating and promoting models of conservation best practice and citizen science. From August 2022 to January 2023 these have included:

Policy consultations and development on the circular economy, 30x30 protected areas campaign, and draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy

5 blogs raising awareness around key environmental issues including COP15, blue carbon resources and the UN decade of nature

75 engagements with people through 6 Citizen science sessions and marine wildlife surveys for seals, seabirds and cetaceans that both increases engagement and contributes data to studies that build a picture of Scotland’s marine environment

8 conservation trips to internationally important island seabird colonies to remove litter, manage invasive species and undertake biosecurity checks

455 people engaged in marine conservation and citizen science via 28 community and education sessions as part of our role with Restoration Forth