Hi ,

The Ferret’s Scotland’s Seas in Danger project ended this month when the last report of our year-long investigation was published. Scotland’s Seas in Danger has been highlighting issues surrounding our marine environment – in collaboration with the Investigative Reporting Project Italy (IRPI).

Our team dug deep into various pressing issues and published 21 exclusive reports. Our investigations included revelations there have been more than 2,000 oil spills in the North Sea since 2011, including 215 in marine protection areas.

We also spotlighted the issue of ghost fishing and how it impacts Shetland, as well as potential solutions to problems including underwater seagrass meadow restoration projects, which have been hailed as a pioneering way to help mitigate the climate crisis.

Our project was funded by Journalismfund Europe and we’re grateful for its support and hoping we can work with them again.

But endings make way for new beginnings, and we have big plans for this year. From major new  investigations to strengthening our community-led journalism, we hope 2025 will be a year of impact and change. Already, our work is making waves — so let’s take a look at what we’ve achieved so far this year.

Holding power to account

Legal challenges are now emerging around issues we’ve been reporting on for years. Equinor is facing a lawsuit from Greenpeace over its ties to an Israeli firm with links to the IDF and illegal Israeli settlements, which were first reported by The Ferret. The controversy surrounding Ithaca Energy and Equinor has been the subject of multiple investigations since 2022. Here’s our previous reporting: 

• Revealed: UK government gave oil licences to IDF-linked firm

• ‘Indefensible’: firm linked to North Sea oil giant renews IDF contract

• Banks helped oil firm linked to Israeli settlements raise £500m

• New Cambo owner on UN blacklist for business in the West Bank

📌 Save the date: The Ferret’s AGM

🗓 21 March 2025
📍 Edinburgh (venue TBC)

Our Annual General Meeting is just around the corner! This is your chance to help shape the future of The Ferret, hear about our latest work, and have your say as a member. More details coming soon — stay tuned! 

Journalism that shows change is possible

At The Ferret we try to follow our stories long after we’ve hit the publish button and always look for updates from those we’ve featured. We want our journalism to support community cohesion.

Last week, the founder of Homeboy Industries, the LA-based rehabilitation project we reported on in December 2023, visited the G20 Youth Festival in Glasgow’s Maryhill — one of the Glasgow projects featured in the same piece.

Their meeting in Scotland was a reminder that the struggles and successes of young people transcend borders, and that journalism can help support real-world connections. You can revisit the original piece here.

Some stories don’t just inform — they also help push forward positive change long after publication.

Last month we got news that a woman we interviewed in 2016 about her experience with domestic abuse within the UK asylum system has finally been granted UK citizenship. 

When we first interviewed her, Zinia – as we called her in the piece – was living in a sparse temporary flat and threatened with deportation following a refused asylum claim. The claims of domestic abuse which we revealed in our piece had not been believed. She went on to successfully appeal and is now a British citizen, working in social care and rebuilding a full and happy life

Change isn’t always immediate, but persistence matters — and it’s why we remain committed to following stories long after the first headline fades. Sometimes in the face of the challenges facing our world, we all need a reminder that change is possible.

Our community newsroom in the spotlight

Our Community Newsroom, run in partnership with Greater Govanhill, has been gaining recognition for its grassroots approach to journalism. Recently, The Glasgow Wrap featured our work, highlighting how local reporting projects like ours are shifting power in journalism — making it more accessible, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the people it serves.

The newsroom continues to provide a space where new voices can develop their skills, ensuring that local communities shape the stories being told about them. Why not drop by? You can find us at 82 Bowman St, Govanhill, Glasgow G42 8LF.

Some stories take months, even years, to see change — but that’s why The Ferret exists. We’re here for the long haul, following up on issues, exposing wrongdoing, and giving a platform to voices that might otherwise be ignored.

Your support — whether as a member, a donor, or a reader — makes this possible. Thank you for being part of our community. Together, we’re proving that independent journalism has the power to make a difference. Join us today — become a member, make a one-off donation, or subscribe to our free newsletter.

See you next month,

The Ferret team