This project will develop and implement a community-led model for effective management of the Wester Ross MPA, mobilising local stakeholders as active agents of change in marine restoration. Building on strong local partnerships, the project integrates local ecological knowledge, participatory governance, and scalable marine monitoring technologies to co-develop a shared knowledge and evidence base and implement practical management solutions.
Community members (including fishers, young people, tourism operators and land owners) will work with social and ecological scientists to co-design and co-deliver a comprehensive new biodiversity baseline using technologies such as eDNA, underwater video, and acoustic sensing. This will provide a much-needed ecological baseline to inform management decisions and enable assessment of future changes. Clear data pathways will be established to ensure that community-generated evidence directly informs management decisions and policy. The project will contribute to restoring marine biodiversity and reducing local environmental pressures, including marine litter and waste from fishing and aquaculture. It will also strengthen pathways toward a sustainable, low-impact blue economy by demonstrating the socio-economic benefits of ecosystem recovery. By establishing a new Community-led Marine Management Organisation and initial management plan, the project will deliver a replicable model for long-term, community-led stewardship in European coastal marine seas.