2014 Consultation on the Management of Inshore Special Areas of Conservation and Marine Protected Areas Overview

Protected Area G - Luce Bay SAC

Luce Bay and Sands SAC lies within the Scottish county of Dumfries and Galloway, to the south of Stranraer. Luce Bay is a broad, shallow embayment approximately 10.5 km wide at its head. Laying between The Machars and the Rhinns of Galloway the bay reaches its greatest width (31 km) between the two outer headlands. It covers an area of approximately 48,000 ha.

The head of Luce Bay is characterised by extensive intertidal sandy sediments, backed by sand dunes. The headlands are composed of steep rock and boulders. The eastern and western coastlines are composed of mixed boulder shores. The fauna and flora present reflect a range of wave exposures and habitat stability. A collection of offshore rocks, known as The Scares, lies centrally at the mouth of the bay.

The inner bay has a seabed characterised by fine sands, mixed with small amounts

of mud, shell gravel and empty shells. The outer part of Luce Bay has extensive areas of hard substrate seabed, which generally consist of a mixture of bedrock, boulders, cobbles and pebbles. There are some areas of sediment including mobile sands and gravels. There are areas of bedrock on the seabed close to the headlands at the mouth of Luce Bay and at The Scares. There are also maerl beds and sabellaria reefs which add conservation value to the SAC.

Summary of the approaches to management

There are 3 approaches presented;

The 1 ^st approach would prohibit the use of demersal trawls, mechanical dredges, or suction dredges (boat or diver operated) throughout the SAC.

The 2 ^nd approach would be the same as approach 1 but with a derogation to allow mechanical dredging on a seasonal basis in the inner part of the bay.

The 3 ^rd approach would prohibit the use of demersal trawls, or suction dredges (boat or diver operated) throughout the SAC. Mechanical dredging would be managed on a zonal basis. This approach would require industry participation in a monitoring programme.

Further information

See the Protected Area G section in the following documents;

Approaches
Maps
Pictures

See questions 18 - 20