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CCN join IFMAC
CCN have joined Marine Scotland's Inshore Fisheries Management and Conservation group (IFMAC), which exists to complement the RIFG network by focusing on national, as opposed to local, inshore issues and covering inshore sea areas not covered by RIFGs (e.g. 6-12 nm). The group intends to meet annually, however progress has been constrained by the pandemic and we do not have an idea of when the next meeting will take place. CCN's letter to Marine Scotland sets out their intentions for joining the group.
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New Giant Strides Partnership
British Marine have just launched ‘Giant Strides’, their new marine tourism strategy for Scotland. This strategy moves away from a purely economic focus and instead seeks to embed ideas of sustainability, environmental protection and community empowerment into the sector. British Marine were keen to have CCN involved as a supporter, and the priorities that have CCN’s endorsement are:
- Our waters: clean and blue - To be stewards of the natural environment we access; investing in natural capital, supporting wildlife and addressing our waste and emissions.
- Celebrating all people involved - from our local communities to our employees, suppliers and beyond.
Look out for more to come as the strategy gains momentum!
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Refreshed Resources!
The resources page of the CCN website has had a revamp - and now includes a section on the Gartmore workshops and useful group development materials!
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Meet Scotland’s community-led MPA officers!
Two communities leading the way in demonstrating how a community can take leadership in marine protected area management are the island communities of Arran and Fair Isle, both of whom FFI has been closely supporting over the years. Earlier this month Kerri had the chance to introduce them to one another and catch up with how they’re getting on in 2021!
Visit COAST and FIMETI to find out more.
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Lucy Kay lives on Arran and has been working since 2019 as the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST)'s MPA Project Officer.
What is the South Arran MPA designated for?
“The South Arran MPA was designated in 2014 as a Nature Conservation MPA for the conservation of a number of different seabed habitats and ‘aggregations of ocean quahog’ (the very long-lived bivalve Arctica islandica). The designated habitats are maerl beds, seagrass beds, burrowed mud, kelp and seaweed communities on sublittoral sediment, maerl or coarse shell gravel with burrowing sea cucumbers and shallow tide-swept coarse sands with burrowing bivalves.”
What does your role as the MPA Project Officer involve?
“My role is to help develop a community-led management plan for the South Arran MPA. We are fortunate that since 2016 we have had some fisheries management measures in place for the MPA through a Marine Conservation Order; these provide important protection for parts of the MPA and form a good basis from which the community can further develop its views about the future management of the area. We want to see the seabed habitats and marine life of the MPA restored and protected and, through this, for the community to be able to realise sustained benefits from a well-manged MPA.”
What’s your hope for the future of the South Arran MPA?
“My hope is that we can achieve a community vision for the MPA that incorporates ecological, social and economic objectives for the MPA and the community. I would like us to be able to continue to build on the foundation of survey and research that we have for the MPA and for this to continue to help inform decisions about the South Arran MPA; but also, more broadly, for this work to inform our collective understanding of how effective spatial management can help restore and improve our inshore marine environment.”
Read the story of Lamlash Bay NTZ!
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Martha Thomson hails from Fair Isle and started working as the Fair Isle Demonstration & Research MPA Officer at the end of 2020.
What has the Fair Isle MPA been designated for?
“In the 80s the over-exploitation of sand eels lead to sharp declines in seabird populations on the Isle. When the community witnessed alarming numbers of Kittiwake chicks washing up on their shores, they knew there was an environmental imbalance and that a protected area around Fair Isle would be vital in maintaining seabird populations. It was a long journey but in 2016 a DR MPA was designated in Fair Isle waters to demonstrate methods of marine management and research to better understand the marine environment. These include: monitoring of sea birds and other marine species; investigating factors influencing seabirds and other marine species; establishing sustainable shellfish fishery; and investigating local fish stocks. The DR MPA also aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of a community-led initiative and to coordinate a collaborative approach to establishing sustainable management of the marine environment. It seeks to demonstrate the socio-economic importance of surrounding waters in maintaining a small island population.”
What’s your role with the Fair Isle MPA?
“My role is focused on initiating a community-led partnership approach, to work with the community and wider stakeholders to develop and deliver a sustainable and dynamic research and project plan. During 2021 I will be continuing to gather the views and aspirations of the Fair Isle community and wider stakeholders, facilitating dialogue and understanding between the two, to build a consensus and vision for the project. Together, we will develop a research and project plan that not only increases our understanding on what’s going on in the marine environment, but also demonstrates the effectiveness of a community-led initiative.”
What are your hopes for the MPA?
“In the long term, I hope that the DR MPA will help raise the profile of Fair Isle as a unique study site, which supports research in investigating impacts on seabirds. Older generations that still live on Fair Isle speak about ‘white stacks’ (in the past, the sheer number of nesting seabirds would form white cliffs) - I hope the DR MPA would help see the return of ‘white stacks.’
It is incredibly rewarding to be working with a community that have the drive to make change and I am hoping to be able to support them in any way that I can and to deliver something that they can be proud of.”
Read the story of the Fair Isle MPA!
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Last year, members of CCN shared information on salmon farming in Scotland with environmentalists from Argentina and Chile, to help in their fight against the industry in the Beagle Channel. Sin Azul No Hay Verde are now able to share their journey and their successes via a new documentary.
The documentary Contracorriente, which means “against the current/tide” has been produced by Sin Azul No Hay Verde, the marine program of Rewilding Argentina with the support of Patagonia Inc. and the collaboration of other NGOs such as Greenpeace.
This short film follows three divers through the possible points where the salmon cages would be installed and shows the efforts put by the chilean and argentine residents of Tierra del Fuego to stop the industry.
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Funding Opportunity
The Climate Action Fund (CAF) is supporting communities across the UK to take action on climate change. These communities will demonstrate what’s possible when people lead in this work. With National Lottery funding, they’ll work together, share their learning and be active participants in a broader movement of change.
CAF is part of The National Lottery Community Fund’s Environment Strategy. This second round will focus on supporting medium-scale to large-scale projects addressing waste and consumption. The focus remains on place-based, community-led partnerships that will make the changes in their community they believe will have the biggest impact on climate change.
Application deadline: 5pm on 8 April 2021 for your initial idea. If you get to the next stage, the rest of the application process is expected to take six to eight months.
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Communities, Conservation and Livelihoods is a new and freely-available book, co-published by CCRN & IUCN-CEESP, that focuses on the role of local communities, around the world, in conserving their environment while sustaining their local economies and livelihoods.
It explores the conservation initiatives of communities, what motivates them, and what outcomes can be achieved for biodiversity and for livelihoods. The book looks at how decision-making works, how power is handled, and how Indigenous realities arise around the globe.
Communities, Conservation and Livelihoods also takes us travelling, through community stories from around the world, in which local action brings local solutions, when people work together for a common cause.
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The Scottish Government published their Future of Fisheries Management strategy on 17th December 2020. This strategy sets out the approach to managing Scotland's sea fisheries from 2020 to 2030, as part of the wider Blue Economy.
The review states "Through this strategy we will set a course to deliver, as part of our Blue Economy Action Plan, our vision for Scotland to be a world class fishing nation delivering responsible and sustainable fisheries management."
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The Scottish Government published Scotland's Marine Assessment 2020 (SMA2020) in December 2020. By delivering an assessment of both the state of Scotland’s seas and of the main activities and pressures in the various Scottish Marine Regions and Offshore Marine Regions, SMA2020 fulfils the requirement of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 which requires that, prior to reviewing the National Marine Plan, an assessment of the state of Scotland’s seas is undertaken.
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Too many emails?
CCN use googlegroups to power the email discussions amongst the sub-groups (see CCN initiatives). Did you know: you can change the frequency of these emails, or unsubscribe, by using the link at the bottom of each email (you may need to login to googlegroups using the same email address). To unsubscribe from the CCN newsletter, use the link at the bottom of this email.
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The CCN Community Support Fund
The Community Support Fund is a dedicated small grant fund operated by Fauna & Flora International to support member groups of the Coastal Communities Network. Grants can be sought by Network members for discrete projects, to build the capacity or governance of a group, or to support learning and development.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and there is no deadline - feel free to get in touch to discuss any ideas!
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CCN Facebook Group
Did you know that the Coastal Communities Network has a Facebook Group for Members? If you are a Member, Supporter or Friend of the Network, then join the group!
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