Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Habitats Threatened by the Trawling Industry

Bottom trawling and scallop dredging are legal in most of Scotland’s seas, and as fish stocks collapse and seabeds are raked dry, a crisis has emerged for small fisheries, the environment, and the future of fishing. While 37% of Scotland’s seas are labeled as protected, that protection is only enforced in 3% of these areas. Although small fisheries create 3-4 times more jobs than trawlers, this crisis has become international as overfishing is a global problem. Many nations are trying to tackle the issue and see if it’s even still possible to reach the 30x30 target, a global initiative adopted under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in 2022. The combined decisions made in Scotland's 2026 consultation and England's 2025 consultation will likely set the tone for Europe’s seas as well.

Emily Whitney

Emily Whitney is a freelance photographer based in Edinburgh, Scotland, with a focus on immigration, environmental issues, women, and human rights. In long-form photojournalism and portraiture, she prioritizes collaborating with those she photographs. Her approach places a high value on informed consent, using sensitivity to create empathetic visuals. She is a member of Women Photograph and her work appears in various regional and national publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN, as well as local and international non-profits.