As 2024 draws to an end The Ferret is pleased to announce we’re publishing the final series of reports as part of a year-long investigation.
Scotland’s Seas in Danger has been highlighting issues surrounding Scotland’s marine environment – in collaboration with the Investigative Reporting Project Italy (IRPI).
Oceans produce more than half the world’s oxygen and hold most of the planet’s biodiversity. They account for nearly half the global population’s livelihoods, providing crucial food, jobs and energy.
But the marine environment is under threat from overfishing, dredging, fish farming, coastal urbanisation, energy infrastructure, mining activities, invasive species, pollution and climate change.
Our team has been digging deep into the issues affecting Scotland and we’ve already published 14 exclusive reports.
Our investigations included revelations there have been more than 2,000 oil spills in the North Sea since 2011, including 215 in marine protection areas. We also reported that formaldehyde was used by fish farms nearly 200 times over a three-year period, despite fears it could harm the marine environment.
Potential solutions to problems have also been highlighted, including underwater seagrass meadow restoration projects in Scotland, which have been hailed as a pioneering way to help mitigate the climate crisis.
Over the next week we’ll focus on plastic pollution, the impact of ghost fishing in Shetland, and how fish farmers and Scots academics are working together to solve welfare and disease problems.
We’ll also compare the problems both Scotland and Italy face over a lack of government action regarding marine protected areas.
Our project is funded by Journalismfund Europe, an independent, non-profit organisation based in Belgium that supports cross-border investigative journalism.
Scotland’s Seas in Danger is a year-long investigative series by The Ferret that delves into Scotland’s marine environment. Our investigations were carried out with the support of Journalismfund Europe and in partnership with the Investigative Reporting Project Italy (IRPI).
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Main image: Alan Morris/iStock
