Ministers are facing calls to introduce “coherent measures” to protect “vulnerable” carbon stores contained in Scotland’s sea lochs. Environmental campaigners say a ban on seabed trawling in some areas is needed, with research showing just a “single disturbance event” can lead to “very rapid losses” of carbon.

SIFT welcomes the recent publication by Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) of its report into Scottish Government Marine Directorate’s (SGMD) failure to ensure the Good Environmental Status (GES) of seabeds.

On 23rd June 2026, the Our Seas Coalition handed its petition to Jim Fairlie MSP the Minister for Agriculture, Marine and the Islands at the Scottish Parliament. 16900 people had signed, calling for better protections for 30% of Scotland’s seas from the most damaging forms of fishing.

SIFT staff, working with the Our Seas Coalition recently drafted a Members Manual for and a video walk through for the benefit of community groups and other stakeholders who join the coalition.

New Scottish Government proposals over regulation of the fishing industry will do little to deter ongoing illegal and wasteful discarding of fish, a group of environmental organisation, fishing industry voices and coastal community groups have warned.

In April, SIFT submitted a response to Scottish Government’s Future Catching Policy Consultation – a body of work aimed at improving the selectivity of Scotland’s fisheries. Our response focused on: Simplifying and unifying selectivity regulations; Improved monitoring and enforcement; Technical measures, including square mesh panels

On 24th April, SIFT signed a joint letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands. The letter set out that the proposed measures in the Future Catching Policy (FCP) consultation do not go far enough to effectively reduce bycatch and discarding in Scotland’s fisheries. Specifically, the FCP proposals: Do not deliver

In March, SIFT responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the 11 draft demersal fisheries management plans (FMPs).

SIFT’s Projects Manager Alex Watson Crook today gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on the Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2026 (SSI 2026/10). The session took evidence from scientists, fishing industry representatives and Non Governmental Organisations on how to manage the depleted

Former Convener of The Parliament’s Environment Committee, Sarah Boyack MSP, acknowledged SIFT’s advice and contribution to the amendments she was lodging on marine conservation in the debate on the Natural Environment Bill. In particular Amendment 145 regarding the need to protect carbon stored in marine sediments.