KYLEAKIN, Scotland (AP) — Bally Philp raises his baited traps from the waters off the Isle of Skye, inspecting each one with care. Unlike much of Scotland’s coastline, these waters are shielded from industrial fishing methods that have ravaged seabeds in other regions. Nevertheless, Philp, who has fished for over three decades, has observed a decline in fish populations along the coast.
Philp remarked, “The inshore archipelagos on the West Coast of Scotland used to be full of fish. We have no commercial quantities of fish left inshore at all.” Despite 37% of Scotland’s waters being designated as marine protected areas, a small fraction actually has management measures in place to enforce protection, according to environmental organizations. Industrial fishing methods, such as bottom trawling and scallop dredging, remain permitted in about 95% of Scotland’s coastal waters, including within designated protected areas.
Bottom trawling involves dragging heavy nets across the seafloor, which crushes marine habitats. This practice significantly contributes to carbon pollution by utilizing nearly three times more fuel than other fishing methods and disturbing seabed sediments, which releases stored carbon into the ocean. Additionally, bottom trawlers often discard a large percentage of their catch back into the sea, with low survival rates for the discarded marine life.
The issue extends beyond Scotland; across Europe and worldwide, bottom trawling within protected areas is prevalent and frequently unregulated. A 2024 report from the Marine Conservation Society and Oceana revealed that 90% of protected marine sites across seven European nations, including the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Spain, experienced bottom trawling between 2015 and 2023. Vessels logged a staggering 4.4 million bottom trawling hours in these protected waters.
The repercussions of unregulated fishing practices are evident. Following the repeal of a longstanding 3-mile ban on bottom trawling around much of Scotland’s coast in 1984, fish landings in areas like the Clyde experienced a drastic decline, with catches of various species now at only a minuscule fraction of their historical levels.
Philp began his fishing career in the late 1980s on trawlers, where he witnessed the devastating impact of accidental bycatch caused by new quota systems. “You would see a stream of dead fish flowing off the back of the boat. It’s a heartbreaking thing to see,” Philp recalled. To minimize habitat damage and improve survival rates for unwanted catch, he shifted to using baited traps. However, this choice has restricted him to an ever-diminishing number of viable fishing areas, as scallop dredging has severely damaged many reefs across the U.K. Loch Alsh, where Philp operates, contains some of the most intact reefs remaining.
Philp reflects on the bleak future of fishing in his family, noting he might be the last generation to depend on this industry. He has taught his two sons, aged 20 and 30, how to fish, but has discouraged them from pursuing it as a career. “We’re at the arse end of something that was once really good,” he said. “Unless we can turn that around, why would anyone want their kids to do this?”
Philp is not alone in his struggles; scallop diver Alasdair Hughson works four days a week at sea, traveling significant distances from his home in Dingwall because local areas have become too degraded to support his work. Hughson remarked, “If there was no need to increase the size of vessels and move around more, we would have just stayed the way we were.” The habitat alteration due to scallop dredging has prevented regeneration.
A 2023 Marine Conservation Society analysis suggests that prohibiting bottom trawling in U.K. offshore protected areas could yield a net benefit of up to £3.5 billion ($4.7 billion) over two decades, factoring in increased carbon storage, pollution removal, nutrient cycling, and recreational opportunities. Marine biologist Caitlin Turner emphasized the cascading effects of habitat destruction, noting, “If you degrade the habitat, there are fewer places for juvenile fish to live and spawn, which affects the abundance of animals in the area.” The impact on Scotland’s tourism industry could be significant, as visitors often find seafood on menus that are imported. According to the World Wildlife Fund, over 80% of seafood consumed in the U.K. in 2019 was sourced from outside its waters.
Despite Scottish government indications of a consultation on fisheries management measures for coastal protected areas slated for late 2025, officials announced a delay of at least six months in December. Community groups and scientists continue to design restoration approaches, including efforts to restore seagrass and oyster populations. However, conservationists argue that these efforts are insufficient without reintroducing a coastal limit that protects at least 30% of Scotland’s inshore seas, part of an international goal to conserve 30% of land and sea by 2030.
A government spokesperson confirmed that 13% of inshore protected areas are currently closed to certain types of bottom trawling and scallop dredging, with additional measures expected to help Scotland exceed the 30% protection target by 2030. The delay in the consultation was attributed to upcoming parliamentary elections and late contractor delivery.
Philp reflects on the urgency of the situation, stating, “The more aware I become about the nuances of fisheries management and marine ecosystems, the more despair I feel because I know we can get it right.” For Philp and other small-scale fishermen, the lengthy wait for meaningful enforcement in designated marine protected areas, established a decade ago, continues to be a cause of concern.
