‘Beyond priceless’: how a halt to dredging saved the seas of Scotland’s Summer Isles

<p>Fish and shellfish populations were falling rapidly as scallop dredgers devastated the seabed, but local activists and small-scale fishers battled hard to protect their coastline</p><p>Inside a bothy overlooking the Summer Isles, in the north-west of Scotland, the lilting tones of a traditional Gaelic duo fill a room full of musicians, storytellers, artists, local people and revellers, hung with fish-shaped lanterns and “Happy Birthday” signs.</p><p>It’s no ordinary birthday. The people in the small cabin have come together, on a windy night in Achiltibuie, a string of coastal hamlets and villages north of Ullapool, to celebrate an important milestone in the community’s history: a hard-won battle to protect their waters from the ravages of scallop dredging.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/30/beyond-priceless-how-a-halt-to-dredging-saved-the-seas-of-scotlands-summer-isles">Continue reading...</a>