This press release was prepared by the Fauna & Flora comms team. For more information contact press@fauna-flora.org.
The Coastal Communities Network (CCN), a coalition of community-based conservation groups across Scotland’s coastline, has been granted charitable status – becoming the first fully independent community-led conservation network in Scotland.
Fauna & Flora established the network in partnership with the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) in 2017, with the aim of providing better support to community groups and organisations working to safeguard Scotland’s coastal and marine riches. Today, this coalition comprises over 30 organisations. Working together, CCN members address a wide range of pressing issues, including the environmental impacts of salmon farming, unsustainable fishing practices, marine plastic pollution and the degraded condition of marine habitats.
Through the network, Fauna & Flora has continued to ensure that communities have a genuine voice in marine management and protection. Since CCN was established, we have witnessed dramatic changes in how the Scottish government includes communities in management decisions. In 2024, the government moved towards defining community-led restoration as a key priority – a significant shift in approach that acknowledges communities as the primary agents of change.
Over the past eight years the network has gone from strength to strength and will now operate in its own right – having gained charitable status as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. This latest milestone for the coalition that Fauna & Flora co-founded is a pivotal moment in its evolution.
“CCN exists to connect and strengthen community-led efforts to protect and restore local marine and coastal environments, supporting real, sustainable change. We’re enormously excited about this next step on the network’s journey, continuing to work with international and local partners to place coastal community voices at the centre of environmental action”.
– Sarah Doherty, CCN Coordinator
Thanks to the collaborative efforts and community-driven initiatives facilitated by the network, there has been a surge in new marine habitat restoration projects along Scotland’s coast, including for carbon-capturing species such as seagrass, native oyster and blue mussel.
Other key successes of CCN members include the historic designation of mainland UK’s first Mission Blue Hope Spot – the Argyll Coast and Islands – which was developed by members in the network. Members were also instrumental in holding the Scottish government to account over the use of acoustic deterrent devices on fish farms, achieving a change in regulation that amounts to a de facto ban on these devices, which are likely to harm marine mammals.
Fauna & Flora has hosted CCN since its establishment, providing support to individual network members, helping establish operations, supporting governance structures, raising independent funds and helping to initiate projects. Enabling CCN to reach its defined objective of becoming the first fully independent community-led conservation network in Scotland was a crucial aspect of our long-term planning for the partnership.
Rebecca Plant, Scotland Programme Manager, Fauna & Flora, comments: “Central to Fauna & Flora’s global mission is to enhance and support effective conservation action, driven by the people living closest to nature. Across Scotland’s coastal areas, there are a number of passionate individuals and community groups who are dedicated to tackling the variety of issues impacting their local biodiversity – from destructive fishing to plastic pollution to climate change. Through CCN members, we provide direct support to these local heroes – enabling them to drive real conservation impact.”
With ongoing support from our many generous donors, Fauna & Flora will continue to support CCN as a core partner – working together with its members to ensure a positive future for Scotland’s local waters, coasts and communities.
“The ultimate goal for all of our core partnerships is to support our partner organisations to become resilient and autonomous, able to independently sustain local conservation impact into the future. CCN’s charitable status is a key part of this journey in Scotland, and we look forward to seeing the team thrive into the future, supporting many more locally driven conservation projects”.
– Rebecca Plant, Scotland Programme Manager