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Chamber and committees

Ocean Witness Report and Ending Destructive Fishing in MPAs

  • Submitted by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour.
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
  • Motion type: Standard Motion
  • Motion reference: S6M-18625

That the Parliament notes the findings of the report, Ocean Witness, by OpenSeas, which surveyed seabeds in Scotland’s marine protected areas (MPAs); understands that it found that numerous MPAs lack effective management measures and remain unprotected from destructive fishing practices; believes that the purpose of the project, which was carried out in collaboration with Greenpeace UK, is to investigate the condition of Scotland's seas; notes that the report is based on over 300 seabed surveys carried out across 3,500km of Scotland’s coastline over a period of five months; further notes that MPAs were introduced in Scotland to safeguard the most vulnerable marine ecosystems, including seabed biodiversity, and play a crucial role in marine conservation and resilience; believes that destructive bottom trawling and seabed dredging breach Scotland’s legally-binding nature and climate commitments, and calls on the Scottish Government to abide by its international obligations and end destructive fishing in MPAs.


Supported by: Katy Clark, Maurice Golden, Emma Roddick, Paul Sweeney