{"id":731882,"date":"2025-02-24T06:51:28","date_gmt":"2025-02-24T14:51:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=731882"},"modified":"2025-05-16T13:09:27","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T20:09:27","slug":"community-led-scotland-marine-restoration","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/blog\/community-led-scotland-marine-restoration","title":{"rendered":"How One Scottish Community is Restoring a Critical Marine Environment"},"author":671,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[],"tags":[491352,491342,491322,488262,488242,443991],"industry":[],"esri-blog-category":[478392],"esri_blog_department":[478222],"class_list":["post-731882","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-bng","tag-marine-protected-area","tag-marine-restoration","tag-rewilding","tag-scotland","tag-volunteers","esri-blog-category-ocean","esri_blog_department-conservation-and-environment"],"acf":{"video_source":"","video_start":"","video_stop":"","short_description":"The Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) transforms marine data into maps, empowering their advocacy for coastal protection in Scotland.","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","layout":"standard","image_reference":null,"image_reference_figure":"","spotlight_image":null,"section_title":"","spotlight_name":"","position":"Right","content":"The Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) uses maps to convey underwater conditions, communicate research data, and advocate for improved marine protection and management in Scotland.\r\n\r\nKey Takeaways\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A local community leads impactful marine conservation through data gathering and grassroots activism.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Scientific tools like GIS monitor biodiversity and record the success of no-take zones in ecosystem recovery.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>COAST\u2019s marine conservation success has sparked similar initiatives across Scotland.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","snippet":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"The chilly Scottish waters off the Isle of Arran are coming back to life. Colorful sea creatures flourish, seagrass meadows sway with the currents, and shellfish populations thrive.\r\n\r\nThree decades ago, the seabed had been badly damaged\u2014stripped of its vitality by destructive fishing practices. This comeback showcases the impact of grassroots action combined with cutting-edge science.\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s a comeback that started when Howard Wood was diving in the seas around Arran with his friend Don MacNeish. They noticed devastating changes to the once-thriving fisheries and their local dive sites. The culprit? Extensive commercial bottom dredging and trawling\u2014unsustainable fishing practices of dragging heavy metal dredges and large nets along the seafloor.\r\n\r\nAt the time, a local fisherman explained to Wood the environmental dangers of trawling.\r\n\r\n\u201c[The fisherman] was against dredging and trawling the seabed because it would ruin 'the crust',\u201d Wood explained. \u201cThe crust is the top layer of the seafloor that supports smaller marine creatures and juvenile fish.\u201d\r\n\r\nAs trawling expanded, marine life declined. Local fishermen saw their catches plummet, affecting the entire community, which relied on the ocean for both economic and social well-being. By 1994, catches were down by 96 percent.\r\n\r\nRecognizing the urgent need to reverse the decline of Arran\u2019s marine habitats, Wood and MacNeish combined their personal savings and founded Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) in 1995. COAST is a group of volunteer activists committed to protecting and recovering the local marine environment.\r\n\r\nCOAST was built on two guiding principles: engaging the local community to drive change, and leveraging research and technology to monitor marine health.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe seas are a public asset,\u201d Wood said. \u201cThey should be managed for the benefit of the country, not specific vested interests.\u201d\r\n<h3><strong>Mobilizing Local Divers<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nTo engage the community, Wood started collecting vintage photos from fishing festivals and competitions\u2014illustrations of the decline marine life had suffered over the years. When people saw how much had been lost, it made the need for conservation impossible to ignore."},{"acf_fc_layout":"gallery","gallery_images":[731972,732012,732002,731992]},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"COAST\u2019s success relied heavily on local divers and snorkelers. The volunteers were trained to identify marine species, map seagrass meadows, capture vivid images of the seabed, record species sightings, and monitor key species as important indicators of ecosystem health.\r\n\r\nThis foundational work provided vital data, showing the extent of marine decline and helping the organization\u2019s leaders advocate for protected areas.\r\n<h3><strong>Data Backs Advocacy, Measures Results<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nFrom its earliest days, COAST recognized the importance of scientific evidence in achieving its conservation goals. Through partnerships with institutions like the University of York, COAST teams began monitoring the effectiveness of their conservation efforts and tracking ecological changes over time.\r\n\r\nThey used interactive maps made with geographic information system (GIS) technology to monitor seagrass and other habitats and establish baseline data."},{"acf_fc_layout":"gallery","gallery_images":[731942,731982,732022,731932]},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Following this approach, scientists observed long-term shifts in the ecosystem. The results were remarkable. Since the introduction of fisheries management measures, species like king scallops have surged in number. Scallop populations increased tenfold in some areas, and once-barren seabed now teams with life.\r\n\r\n\u201cIn the no take zone and marine protected area around Arran, we\u2019re seeing indications of the crust reestablish itself, these positive changes happening within a decade, and in some areas, even within four or five years,\u201d Wood said.\r\n\r\nThis data has been vital for convincing policymakers that marine protection delivers tangible benefits. COAST\u2019s work also aligns with global initiatives, such as the 2024 United Nation\u2019s biodiversity framework that includes protecting 30 percent of the planet\u2019s land and ocean by 2030.\r\n\r\nBeyond the Scottish coast, COAST\u2019s efforts serve as a road map for other communities. It\u2019s proof that local advocacy, when backed by science, can create long-term change."},{"acf_fc_layout":"gallery","gallery_images":[732032,731962,731922,731912,731902]},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h3><strong>Bringing the Ocean to the Surface<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nTo ensure broad support for marine conservation, COAST has invested in educational outreach. In collaboration with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esriuk.com\/en-gb\/home\">Esri UK<\/a>, COAST uses GIS maps to tell the story of seabed recovery.\r\n\r\nThe maps reveal a visual timeline of biodiversity restoration, bringing Scotland\u2019s underwater world to life for people of all ages.\r\n\r\n\u201cMany people have never seen what\u2019s beneath Scotland\u2019s dark waters,\u201d said Lucy Kay, COAST\u2019s marine protected area project officer. \u201cBut GIS lets them connect with the ocean in new ways.\u201d\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through its school programs and citizen science initiatives, COAST brings the ocean directly to participants using remotely operated vehicles, allowing them to explore underwater habitats and witness marine life in real time from the comfort of dry land. At the COAST Discovery, visitors can observe live underwater video and learn about marine ecosystems through hands-on workshops and exhibits. These initiatives not only educate but also inspire action, helping more people understand the importance of protecting marine habitats.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong>Local Action, Global Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\nThe contributions of local divers and volunteers have been crucial in collecting the data and imagery that supports COAST\u2019s campaigns. These people's efforts have helped revitalize marine life and attract more visitors to Arran, boosting the region\u2019s economy.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nCOAST\u2019s success shows that when community determination is backed by data, lasting change is possible.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, COAST plans to expand its research efforts, involve more community members, and strengthen educational outreach. With a new visitor center offering citizen science projects, volunteer opportunities, and workshops, the legacy of the diver advocates continues to grow\u2014inspiring a new generation to protect our oceans.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLearn more about how <a href=\"https:\/\/oceans-esrioceans.hub.arcgis.com\/\">GIS helps maintain healthy marine ecosystems<\/a>."}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How One Scottish Community is Restoring a Critical Marine Environment<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) transforms marine data into maps, empowering their advocacy for coastal protection in Scotland.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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