A close-up view of a beach covered in a large amount of marine litter, including tangled green and white plastic fishing ropes, various plastic debris, seaweed, soil, and rocks.

Tackling fishing and aquaculture gear in the Scottish Islands

We have been working closely with the Scottish Islands Federation over the last few years to better understand the types of litter impacting island communities.
Submit your Scottish Islands survey form

Thanks to funding from the Highlands and Islands Environment Foundation and the Conservation Collective X Depeche Mode X Hublot partnership we have been able to work with the Scottish Islands Federation and their members to increase the number of Beachwatch surveys being completed across the Scottish Islands.

In 2023 we saw a 112% increase in the number of surveys submitted from across the Scottish Islands which showed fishing and aquaculture gear made up 49% of the litter recorded on Scottish Islands versus only 9% of the litter on mainland Scotland.

In 2024 we saw a further 16% increase in the number of surveys with the data telling a similar story. Fishing and aquaculture related litter made up 32% of all litter recorded on Scottish Islands, compared to only 12% of litter on mainland Scotland.

We now need to further understand what specific types of fishing and aquaculture gear end up at litter so we can call for effective policy solutions to stop it becoming litter in the first place.

In collaboration with the Scottish Islands Federation we have therefore developed a new survey to help build this evidence base looking at 15 specific items of fishing and aquaculture gear that has been found as litter on Scottish Islands.

If you would be interested in taking part in this survey to build on the evidence base provided by Beachwatch, please download the survey

Download the survey

The Scottish Islands Federation have also produced an excellent beach litter ID guide to help with this survey form.

Take a look at the beach litter ID guide

When completing your survey please follow the guidelines and risk assessments as you would normally do for completing a Beachwatch survey or a Source to Sea Litter Quest:

 

Beachwatch Resources

Source to Sea Litter Quest resources

If you have any questions about this project please email us

Thank you so much for helping us achieve a better understanding of the fishing and aquaculture litter impacting Scottish Islands.

Submit your Scottish Islands survey form
2 surfers holding surfboards and wearing wetsuits running alonga beach. The ocean is behind them

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