The Scottish aquatic environment is among the most diverse in the world supporting over 6,500 complex and 40,000 single cell species of plants and animals in inshore waters alone. This incredible environment includes rivers, lochs, estuaries, coastal waters and offshore waters and is home to many distinctive habitats and iconic species such as basking sharks, over twenty species of marine mammals and internationally important bird populations.
Actions
Find out more about our work in the following areas:
- marine conservation
- marine litter
- Marine Protected Areas
- Priority Marine Features
- nature conservation MPAs
- MPA monitoring strategy
- marine mammals
- invasive non-native species
- seal haul-out sites
- seal conservation
- Marine Mammal Scientific Support Research Programme
Background
Although each environment is different, they are biologically linked and Marine Scotland recognises that it is vital to protect marine biodiversity and these ecosystems.
Its role is to ensure that the natural environment, and the diversity of industries which depend upon it, is safeguarded for the future by working to assess the quality of the aquatic environment, trying to understand the effects of both natural and human activities and leading research into the potential environmental effects of marine renewables.
Bills and legislation
Contact
Marine Scotland
Telephone: 0300 244 4000
Post:
Mailpoint 11
1B South
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Marine Laboratory
Telephone: 0131 244 2500
Post:
375 Victoria Road
Aberdeen
AB11 9DB
Freshwater Laboratory
Telephone: 0131 244 2900
Post:
Faskally
Pitlochry
PH16 5LB
Freshwater Laboratory
Telephone: 0131 244 4500
Inchbraoch House
South Quay
Ferryden
Montrose
DD10 9SL