10 years of the Wester Ross MPA, by Noel Hawkins

24 April 2026

Having lived and worked in and around Ullapool and Loch Broom since a kid, I have always loved the sea and it has played a central part in my life, and is probably my most consistent love and passion.

When the initial proposals and consultations for Marine Protected Areas began in Scotland, I attended and saw that this was a positive idea, with potential to address some of the damage that I had witnessed firsthand whilst working on fishing boats (ranging from creelers through to supertrawlers and dredgers), and knew of anecdotally from my family and older members of the community and fishing industry.

At that point, I had been working on a local tour boat and was out looking at and sharing the marine life and environment, and this not only led to a greater understanding on my part, but led me into volunteering as a marine mammal medic with British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), assisting with autopsies with the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, and liaising with the RSPB Sea Eagle Project. I also got involved with the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation which at that point was being founded in an effort to give a different perspective to the more established fishing associations and groups, which tended to be dominated by the mobile sector.

The MPA proposals did see a fairly hard divide locally, as many saw it as a threat to not just the fishing industry and those dependent on it, but culturally too, as it appeared to be something being imposed on the local people rather than involving them, and this saw many turn away from the proposals due to seeing it as very much an ‘us and them’ situation.

I was fortunate enough to get a position with the Scottish Wildlife Trust managing a project called ‘Living Seas’ which aimed to try engaging people and communities, the environment, and also those working here – which I have always seen as the triangle base of how to try bringing together the elements of what is involved if anything is to have a real chance and work.

We took on a number of ideas, ranging from beach cleaning, wildlife watching, inviting other groups and people in to talk, and some slightly more ambitious ones, such as launching Scotland’s first snorkel trails, the thinking being that if you get people under the surface and actually see what is there, it is easier to get them to understand what it is and why we are trying to protect it, following the mantra of David Attenborough “No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced”.

Alongside this, I have always tried to bring along and include the fishermen, some I knew, others I didn’t, as well as the community overall. That has proved difficult on occasion, and from not only some of the more hardcore fishermen, but also at times quite fundamentalist environmentalists who view any work or activity as a threat that needs to be closed down – often those most comfortably off and not needing to work, funnily enough.

I have always taken the approach of trying to find compromises that will best benefit the environment and seas, whilst giving both sides room to try to negotiate, ‘though in all honesty, there are points when this has to be abandoned, and the best use of effort is with those actually open to ideas and finding a middle ground/sea, where we can make steps forward that can hopefully accommodate both, whilst still looking to improve things overall.

From the fishing side, trying to prove that a healthy sea will provide a better fishery is the best route to this. But trying to prove that is tricky. Whilst many of us working and on the sea regularly have witnessed the increase in life and activity, converting that into usable, believable, and critically provable data is the hard part.

Re-establishing what used to be a huge angling competition provided a means to get people out and try demonstrating and recording species being seen and caught (and released, unlike with the more traditional competitions). Recording cetacean sightings using the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust app Whale Track has built up a semi-scientific dataset over several years (and this has grown and grown continuously over the years), taking environmental DNA when witnessing fish activity and feeding frenzies. None of which provides a conclusive answer, but all contribute to the overall picture of what is happening, and hopefully showing a shift in the right direction.

Public and industry engagement remains at the core of what I try doing, and the critical part of this is having the trust of those you ask to come forward, as they need to understand that their voices are being listened to along with concerns of where this could be used – a prime example, a friend who went to fishing college with me was very open about basking shark entanglements, but was clear that this was not to be used as he feared his fishing area and job would be closed down and stopped. However, he was open to ideas and ways to try and tackle it and minimise the chance of it happening, and this is where the openings are for us to engage and involve those who are here, have the knowledge and experience, and lead the way if given the opportunity.

The Wester Ross MPA is only ten years old, and we are seeing firsthand that it is working, and that the fisheries here have not been negatively affected. There were concessions made by local boats, and for this they need to be applauded. Also, as well as recognition, some form of reward and perhaps financial benefit would not only see them view what has taken place favourably, but perhaps be keener to look to other ways that this can progress further. The return of herring to our waters has increased hugely in recent years, and if, for example, a small scall herring quota were to be allocated to the small local boats, this could provide an income at a time of year that it would supplement what is often a quiet time for prawn fishing. By showing that environmental benefits can also be beneficial for those working on (and in) the sea, it can break down the ‘us and them’ mentality that often raises its head before the subject is even on the table.

I believe a key part of successful marine and fisheries management is listening to, involving, trusting and believing that those who live here can and will do what is best, if they can see that there is a place, and a return, in it for them, seas, communities, and culture. Regulations are needed as not everyone follows this altruistic approach, but the regulations themselves need to be considered, realistic and workable. And enforced.

Give those that live and work here a sense of ownership, responsibility and pride, and they are far more likely to support and contribute to what is ultimately the best for all.

On a practical side, this does mean devolving a degree of control from what is often seen as ‘them’, to those that may well have the same desires for the sea, but will fight if feeling they are imposed on ‘us’. And this may also require funding to actually give up time and effort to establish the science side of things, without which it has no credibility, and an outlet to promote and share what is a positive thing happening, but often drowned out by politics, media, egos, and sadly apathy.

Give the communities that live in these places respect and a place to contribute and voice their experience, concerns and ideas, bring together all sides on common grounds, and try to make the conflict a fringe part of things that can waste too much time, energy and enthusiasm, but often stalls momentum and any hopes of moving further forward from what is something good and very positive, but as yet only a foundation of something much bigger and far longer term than the ten years we have already seen fly by.

Noel