Help safeguard more of Scotland's inshore marine areas

What’s happening? 

Since 2006, the Marine Conservation Society has been at the forefront of the collaborative Save Scottish Seas campaign which has enabled new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Scotland to be established and, in 2016, 2,200km2 of vulnerable inshore and, in 2025, over 170,000km2 of offshore areas to be protected from bottom-towed fishing gear.

Now, after ten years of further inshore measures, we finally have the chance to protect even more of Scotland’s waters – and you can help. 

This September, the Scottish Government launched a consultation which could see over 160 inshore MPAs and Priority Marine Feature (PMF) areas protected with fisheries measures.  

This is a major opportunity to safeguard ecologically important areas – for wildlife, for people, and for the planet. 

How you can get involved

Until 18th January 2027, the public, businesses, stakeholders and environmental organisations can respond to the consultation with their views on the proposed measures.  

As members of Scottish Environment LINK's Marine Group, we are garnering support for the second of two management options (Option 2) for MPAs (referred to as "sites") and PMF areas (referred to as "areas") that will provide the best and most effective protection for Scotland’s seas.

You can show your support for the management option that will deliver the best protection for sites and areas on the Scottish government website.

If you want to provide a more detailed response for any of the sites and areas of particular interest to you, you can find guidance and recommended answers which we have co-developed on the Scottish Environment LINK website.

Marine Directorate is running an online information session in November for young people (16-25), so that they can learn more about the consultation, what it means and to support them to respond.  

Through LINK, we will also be suggesting ways that protection can and should go further for a small number of MPAs and for the tranche of PMF areas, to ensure these measures deliver the best results for Scotland’s vital marine habitats and species.