In Scotland: Marine Life Protection Models

Henley Spiers, thanks to the Oceanographic & Arksen scholarship he received last year, is traveling to Scotland to explore how to balance the local economy, fishing pressure, and the preservation of unique marine biodiversity. His investigation leads him to meet iconic figures in marine conservation while uncovering the challenges faced by […]

Henley Spiers, thanks to the Oceanographic & Arksen scholarship he received last year, is traveling to Scotland to explore how to combine local economy, fishing pressure, and the preservation of a unique marine biodiversity. His investigation leads him to meet iconic figures in marine conservation while discovering the challenges faced by coastal communities.

Two diving enthusiasts pose on the coast, with a marine landscape in the background. — Howard Wood and Don MacNeish, two divers committed to protecting local waters, founded the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST)

A Story of Passion and Determination

In 1989, Don MacNeish, from the Isle of Arran, travels to New Zealand to meet Bill Ballantine, a pioneer of marine protected areas. Accessible despite his fame, Bill shares his expertise with Don, who returns to his home island confronted with the degradation of marine life. Arran, once a paradise for fishermen, has seen its fish stocks collapse, particularly after the cancellation of the Lamlash fishing festival in 1994, due to a 96% drop in catches.

150 miles to the east, Lawson Wood, from the town of Eyemouth, shares the same concerns. As a passionate diver, he observes the negative impact of fishing on the seabed. In 1975, he establishes the Barefoot voluntary marine reserve, which evolves in 1984 to become the Berwickshire Marine Reserve, the only voluntary marine reserve in Scotland, covering 10.3 km² of coastline.