Young people call for urgent action for Scotland’s inshore MPAs

Fan worm Sabella pavonina on a maerl bed; Caol Scotnish, Loch Sween. Photographer: Lisa Kamphausen (SNH); copyright: SNH.

Members of Young Sea Changers Scotland have written to the leaders of Scotland’s political parties* expressing deep frustration and concern over the Scottish Government’s decision to delay the long-awaited consultation on fisheries management measures for inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

The letter, signed by 55 young people from across Scotland, calls on party leaders to make a public commitment, ahead of the next Scottish Parliament term, to prioritise the delivery of the inshore MPA consultation as a matter of urgency, should they form the next government.

In over a decade since most of Scotland’s MPAs were designated, the Scottish Government has missed deadline after deadline to put fisheries management in place for these sites. A public consultation planned for November 2025 on fisheries management for inshore MPAs and 11 Priority Marine Features (PMFs) has now been delayed until after the May 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

YSCS members fear that continued delays risk undermining Scotland’s environmental commitments and that, without effective management, MPAs fail to deliver real protection for vulnerable marine habitats and species.

“For years, we have been told that MPAs are central to Scotland’s response to the climate and nature crises. We have heard repeated commitments from the Scottish Government to protect marine biodiversity, support sustainable coastal livelihoods, and meet international targets such as protecting 30% of seas by 2030. Yet, without effective management, MPAs remain little more than lines on a map. Continued delays weaken marine protection and push real recovery further out of reach. This is unacceptable.”

Inshore waters are among Scotland’s most ecologically rich marine areas, supporting kelp forests, seagrass meadows, fish nursery grounds and spawning habitats - yet many of these areas remain exposed to damaging activities such as bottom-towed fishing. YSCS members warn that continued delay risks further habitat loss and species decline. They emphasise that this issue matters deeply to young people, whose future opportunities will be shaped by decisions taken now.

“Scotland’s seas are a shared public resource. They shape our environment, our culture, our communities and our future livelihoods. Decisions taken now will define what kind of seas we inherit - whether they are resilient, biodiverse and thriving, or further degraded and depleted. Young people across Scotland want to see our biodiversity and marine habitats protected. We are not asking for abstract ambition; we are asking for meaningful, timely action.”

The young signatories say they are ready to engage constructively with decision-makers but are calling for political leadership that matches the scale and urgency of the marine and climate crises.

“The future of our marine environment will outlast election cycles, political careers and policy documents. But it will not outlast us. We are ready to play our part, to engage constructively, and to stand up for the seas we will inherit. What we need now is for political leaders to do the same.”

*The letter has been sent to the party leaders John Swinney (SNP), Anas Sarwar (Scottish Labour), Russell Findlay (Scottish Conservatives), Ross Greer & Gillian Mackay (Scottish Greens), & Alex Cole-Hamilton (Scottish Liberal Democrats)