About SIFT

Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust is a Scottish charity founded in 2011
SIFT’s aim is to promote the sustainable management of Scotland’s inshore waters so that they provide the maximum long term benefits to all coastal communities
At SIFT’s core is a coalition of community and maritime interest groups who wish to replace unfair, short-termist fisheries in their local inshore waters with a mix of sustainable and resilient maritime livelihoods

Welcome to SIFT

The inshore fisheries problem

Scotland’s inshore waters are important. They extend 12 nautical miles from Scotland’s enormous 18,000km coastline, cover over half of the country’s territorial area and were historically a rich source of wealth for coastal communities.

Despite the importance of inshore waters, their management has been neglected. Over-fishing and the use of fishing gears which damage habitats have not only been permitted but promoted. As a consequence the inshore ecosystem has been degraded and the valuable fin-fish stocks have collapsed to the point that coastal communities no longer enjoy a mixed and vibrant economy.

SIFT’s solution

SIFT promotes fisheries policies which conserve and restore the diversity of the marine ecosystem. In particular SIFT promotes ecosystem based management and reductions in effort of damaging bottom trawls and dredges within specific inshore areas. These policies will assist the return of a more lucrative, sustainable and mixed economy featuring revived fin-fisheries, recreational sea angling, traditional shell fish creeling and scallop diving as well as leisure activities which rely on a healthy sea - such as wildlife tourism and diving.

Latest News

21/04/2012 - SIFT responds to Scallop Fishing Consultation

SIFT responds to Scallop Fishing Consultation and calls for greater use of spatial controls on dredges.

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SIFT in pictures