Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups Areas (RIFGs)

Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups (RIFGs) are bodies that aim to improve the management of Scotland's inshore fisheries (out to twelve nautical miles) and to give commercial inshore fishermen a strong voice in wider marine management developments. The West Coast and North & East Coast RIFGs were originally established in April 2016, replacing the four IFGs that formerly covered the Scottish mainland coast. In 2020, the scope of RIFGs was extended to the 12NM limit as part of the Future Fisheries Management (FFM) policy.

In 2025, the network was restructured to strengthen regional representation. A new North & North West RIFG now covers the area from Ardnamurchan Point northwards around the west coast and up to Inverness, including the Inner Hebrides north of Ardnamurchan Point. The East Coast RIFG boundary was revised and now starts at Inverness and runs clockwise down the east coast to the English border, creating a clearer separation from the new North & North West region. The current RIFG network comprises: North & North West Coast, East Coast, South West Coast, Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland (operating alongside the Shetland Shellfish Management Organisation).