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Hello  <<First Name>>

Welcome to the last newsletter 2022! First of all a massive thank you to all member of the Coastal Communities Network, as well as friends and supporters, for your continued hard work and support over the year.

It has been quite the year for CCN.  I joined as Coordinator in February, and since then I've already onboarded loads of new local groups, taking CCN membership to 23 (with one tentative member still being considered!)  I've also helped establish three CCN Forums as a space for collective learning & organising around some of the main issues members are working on;  marine restoration, marine plastics, and aquaculture. Of course, CCN engages on a breadth of other marine issues, and we were present at the RAINE Committee roundtable on inshore fisheries calling for greater spatial management of the inshore area.

This year CCN members had a record number of meeting with officials, including our first meeting with NatureScot CEO, Francesca Osowska, and the Director of Marine Scotland, Annabel Turpie.  These complemented the various other meetings CCN had throughout the year with various teams within NatureScot, SEPA and Marine Scotland on specific issues such as the forthcoming Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture and community-led marine restoration . CCN has become a fully-fledged force for change and officials are taking notice! We even put an end to the unlawful use of Acoustic Deterrent Devices after member David Ainlsey made a case to Environmental Standards Scotland.

Looking ahead to 2023, there will be more opportunities than ever for communities to call for better management of Scotland's seas. The process to develop the National Marine Plan 2 will get underway, there will be a review of how Priority Marine Features (PMFs) outside of MPAs are managed, and the Scottish Government has just launched the first consultation on Highly Protected Marine Areas. We are also expecting a consultation on delivery plans for the recently published Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.

These consultations will set the backdrop for the next "Gartmore" workshop in May, where CCN members will meet for a weekend of workshops, talks and planning  for the future (and of course share a bevvie or two) at Gartmore House.


Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2023!

Alan Munro
CCN Coordinator
New CCN members
We welcome two new members into the fold this month. The first is AFFTheClyde, based around Loch Long, Loch Goil and the wider Clyde area. Their group was established to campaign against the proposed salmon farms at Ardentinny on Loch Long, and three other proposed Firth of Clyde sites at Great Cumbrae, Little Cumbrae, and Isle of Bute. They recently led the high-profile community campaign that successfully saw off the planning applicaion for the propsosed salmon farm at Beinn Reithe, also on Loch Long.
We also welcome Action West Loch, based around the shores of West Loch Tarbert. They are a new community-based group which aim to promote the conservation and restoration of their local environment.
CCN Virtual Session with the BMR
This month we were joined by Alex Higgs and Lauren Nieuwenhuys from the Berwickshire Marine Reserve to talk about their pilot lobster hatchery in Eyemouth, which has seen them release over 100 juvenile lobsters back into the sea (with the help of local  volunteers). We learned about the process of establishing a hatchery, and some of the challenges of runnning one. We look forward to see how the project develops next year.
Watch the recording here
Scottish Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs)
Through the Bute House Agreement, Scottish Ministers have committed to designate at least 10% of Scotland’s seas as Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), by 2026. These sites will provide high levels of protection by placing strict limits on some human activities, such as fishing and aquaculture, while allowing non-damaging recreational activities to take place at carefully managed levels.

Their consultation is now open, seeking views and comments on a number of key documents. You can have your say below.
Respond here
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.

SMEEF
The Scottish Marine Environment Enhancement Fund Project Development Grants are open for applications, this time to support work such as baseline surveys and feasibility studies for restoration and enhancement. Projects can apply for grants of up to up to £25,000, with the provision for one exceptional award of up to £100,000 for a wide range of activities. Deadline is 23/01/23. You can register for the mailing list by emailing grants@smeef.scot.
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Coastal Communities Network · Thorn House · 5 Rose Street · Edinburgh, Midlothian EH2 2PR · United Kingdom

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