Our research in Scotland, an island nation located within United Kingdom, examines the concept and practice of blue economy to ensure that legal and policy development, monitoring, and implementation consider the lived-experience and knowledge of coastal communities.
Scotland has over 900 islands and area of the sea nearly six times larger than the land that makes up almost two-thirds of the UK exclusive economic zone (EEZ). A Blue Economy Vision for Scotland published in 2022 sets out long-term ambition and environmental, economic and social outcomes for Scotland’s blue economy to 2045. The blue economy vision extends the Scottish Government Environment Strategy vision of “One Earth. One Home. One Shared Future” to include “One Ocean” in the equation. Scotland’s blue economy is targeted to make a significant contribution to how the country address challenges posed by climate change and biodiversity loss, poverty and inequality, and manage the consequences of Covid-19 pandemic and European Union (EU) withdrawal.
Scotland’s marine waters are increasingly busy spaces, with a wide range of ocean economies activities including well-established industry (e.g. salmon aquaculture), emerging business (e.g. seaweed farming) and thriving energy sector (e.g. offshore wind farm). Although blue economy activities will create new opportunities, delivering fair, inclusive, and sustainable approach to blue economy in Scotland is challenging. It has been noted that multiple and competing use of marine space in Scotland has led to exclusion, displacement, or reduction in access to fishing grounds due to the presence of marine infrastructure, changes to the local environment (e.g. affecting nearby fishery resources) and increase pressure on land-based resources (e.g. harbour facilities) (Poseidon, 2022).
By working directly with coastal communities in Scotland we aim to advance better understanding and recognition of communities’ knowledge and experience of ocean justice. By doing so, we hope to support greater inclusion of communities’ knowledge and experience on ocean justice in marine stakeholders’ consideration of synergies or trade-offs between different ocean sectors as well as any environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts.
