Draft Fisheries Assessment – West Shetland Shelf NCMPA: Fisheries management measures within Scottish Offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

These assessments look at the fishing activity occurring within each offshore MPA and SAC and assess the potential impacts of this activity on the protected features within each site. This assessment is for West Shetland Shelf NCMPA.


2. Part A Assessment – Fisheries screening

2.1. Fisheries screening overview

Part A of this assessment considers whether the fishing activity would be capable of affecting the protected features of an MPA or any ecological or geomorphological process on which the conservation of any protected feature is dependent.

In Part A of this assessment the pressure-feature interactions were assessed to determine if the activities are capable of affecting the protected feature. This section looks at the pressures exerted by the fishing activity occurring in the site (within the assessment period) in relation to the sensitivities of the protected features. Activities potentially capable of affecting the protected feature were identified where there was both a medium-high risk of a pressure arising from the fishing activity and if any of the features were considered sensitive to that pressure. These pressure-features interactions were then taken forward to the fisheries assessment stage (Part B) to determine whether the fishing activity in question would or might hinder the achievement of the conservation objectives.

For each activity assessed in Part A, there were two possible outcomes for each identified pressure-feature interaction:

1. The pressure-feature interactions were not included for Part B:

a. If the feature is not exposed to the pressure, and is not likely to be in the future; or

b. If the effect/impact of the pressure is non -existent or insignificant.

2. The pressure-feature interactions were included for assessment in Part B:

a. If the feature is exposed to the pressure, or is it likely to be in the future; and

b. If the pressure is capable of affecting the feature ; or

c. If it is not possible to determine whether the pressure is capable of affecting the feature.

Part B of the assessment considers the potential for activities to affect the feature by assessing the impact of fishing gears identified in Part A. This involves determining the level of interaction between the feature and the fishing activity, assessing the potential impact on the feature, and subsequently if fishing activities would or might hinder the achievement of the conservation objectives for the site.

Consideration of exposure to and the effect of a pressure on a protected feature of the MPA includes the consideration of exposure to and the effect of that pressure on any ecological or geomorphological process on which the conservation of the protected feature is wholly or in part dependant.

The West Shetland Shelf NCMPA – Conservation Advice 2018 ; West Shetland Shelf NCMPA – Management Options Paper 2014 ; and West Shetland Shelf NCMPA Site Information Centre were used to inform this assessment. These are the most recent sources of conservation and management advice available.

Where appropriate, this advice has been supplemented by information on pressures associated with fishing activity from the JNCC Marine Pressures-Activities Database (PAD) v1.5 2022 and the Feature Activity Sensitivity Tool (FeAST).

2.2. Activities taking place within West Shetland Shelf NCMPA

To screen out fishing activities that were not taking place within the site or likely to take part in the future, vessel monitoring system (VMS) data within West Shetland Shelf NCMPA from 2015 – 2019 were analysed to identify the gear types being used in the site and the aggregated gear method (Table 1). The fishing gears screened out at this stage were not taken forward to Part B of the assessment.

Table 1. Gear types recorded from the site based on VMS-linked point logbook data (UK vessels only) from 2015 – 2019. *Boat dredges only detected in ICES gridded data, indicating presence of foreign vessels where the exact gear type and code are unknown.

Gear Type

Specific Gear Type

Gear code

Aggregated gear method

Towed

Bottom otter trawl

OTB

Demersal trawls

Multi-rig trawls

OTT

Pair trawl

PTB

Nephrops trawls

TBN

Bottom trawls (not specified)

TB

Scottish fly/seine

SSC

Demersal seines

Towed (pelagic)

Mid-water trawl (single)

OTM

Pelagic fishing

Mid-water (pair)

PTM

Dredges (towed)

Unknown

DRB

Boat dredges

Static - pots/traps

Pots/creels

FPO

Traps/creels

Lines

Longlines (not specified)

LL

Anchored nets/lines

Set longlines

LLS

2.3. Potential pressures exerted by site fishing activities on protected features

According to the JNCC West Shetland Shelf NCMPA Management Options Paper (2014), the fishing activities considered capable of affecting the offshore subtidal sands and gravels feature are creeling and potting, based on mobile fishing gears being prohibited in the 'Windsock' by Technical Conservation Regulation 850/98. Since the JNCC advice was issued in 2014, new Technical Conservation Regulations (Regulation (EU) 2019/1241) were introduced lifting the windsock restrictions as of 14 August 2019.

Based on the VMS data collected for the current assessment, which includes the period immediately after the Windsock was lifted, fishing activities considered capable of affecting the offshore subtidal sands and gravels feature include mobile demersal gear (trawls, seines, and boat dredges) and static demersal gear (traps/creels and anchored nets/lines). Pelagic fishing, in particular single and paired mid-water trawls, whilst occurring in the site was not considered capable of affecting the subtidal sands and gravels feature as these fishing activities do not contact the bottom. Gear types considered capable of affecting the feature were retained in the assessment, gear types not considered capable of affecting the feature were screened out.

The potential pressures that could be exerted by fishing activities considered capable of affecting the subtidal sands and gravels feature (demersal trawls, demersal seines, boat dredges, static traps/creels, and anchored nets/lines) were determined using information on activity-pressure relationships in the JNCC Marine Pressures-Activities Database (PAD) v1.5 2022. The potential pressures that could be exerted by demersal trawls, demersal seines, boat dredges, static traps/creels, and anchored nets/lines are summarised in Table 2.

The aggregated gear type of 'anchored nets/lines' spans two categories in the PAD: set (fixed) net fishing and line fishing. Subsequently, potential pressures for this aggregated gear type were listed under the two PAD categories (Table 2). The risk profiling of pressures was the same for set (fixed) net fishing and line fishing within PAD, confirming that these categories could be considered together under the aggregated gear type of 'anchored nets/lines' in later sections of the assessment.

Within the PAD, boat dredges were considered to have a low risk of introduction of microbial pathogens however this pressure only applies to native oyster populations, which are not part of the subtidal sands and gravels feature, and so this pressure was excluded from Table 2. The above water noise and collision above water pressures both had low risk profiles for all five aggregated fishing activity types, however these pressures were not considered capable of affecting the subtidal sands and gravels feature and were excluded.

Table 2. Potential pressures exerted by demersal trawls, demersal seines, boat dredges, static traps/creels, and anchored nets/lines taken from the JNCC Marine Pressures-Activities Database (PAD) v1.5 2022. The PAD risk profiling of pressures score represents the general risk the pressures pose to the environment under normal conditions. Pressures are categorised as posing a medium/high risk (dark blue) or low risk (light blue). Pressures that are not exerted by the fishing activity are classed as not relevant (white).

PAD Pressure

Fishing activity

Demersal trawls

Demersal seines

Boat Dredges

Traps/

creels

Anchored nets/lines

Set (fixed) net fishing

Line fishing

Transition elements and organo-metal (e.g. TBT) contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Hydrocarbon & PAH contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Synthetic compound contamination (incl. pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals). Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Deoxygenation

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Nutrient enrichment

Low

Low

Low

Not relevant

Not relevant

Not relevant

Organic enrichment

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Physical change (to another seabed type)

Low

Low

Low

Not relevant

Not relevant

Not relevant

Physical change (to another sediment type)

Low

Low

Low

Not relevant

Not relevant

Not relevant

Abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Low

Low

Low

Changes in suspended solids (water clarity)

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Not relevant

Not relevant

Not relevant

Smothering and siltation rate changes (light)

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Not relevant

Not relevant

Not relevant

Litter

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Underwater noise changes

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Introduction of light

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Barrier to species movement

Not relevant

Not relevant

Not relevant

Low

Low

Low

Collision BELOW water with static or moving objects not naturally found in the marine environment (e.g. boats, machinery and structures)

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species (INIS)

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Removal of target species

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Removal of non-target species

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

Medium-high

2.4. Significance of effects/impacts to protected features

In the absence of a JNCC Advice on Operations advice package for this site, the Feature Activity Sensitivity Tool (FeAST) was used to determine the potential sensitivity of the offshore subtidal sands and gravels feature (Table 3) to the pressures exerted by the relevant fishing activities (Table 2). The West Shetland Shelf NCMPA offshore subtidal sands and gravels protected feature encompasses a range of sub-components including the EUNIS Level 4 habitats circalittoral coarse sediments, circalittoral mixed sediments, and circalittoral sands (JNCC, 2014). Within FeAST, the equivalent features are continental shelf coarse sediments, continental shelf mixed sediments, and continental shelf sands. These three features were used to determine the sensitivity of the offshore subtidal sands and gravels feature to fishing activity.

Table 3.Summary of the FeAST sensitivity assessment forcontinental shelf coarse sediments, continental shelf mixed sediments, and continental shelf sands using the pressures associated with demersal fishing activities occurring in the site (Table 2).The habitats are categorised as having high Sensitivity (dark blue), Medium Sensitivity (dark blue), Sensitive (light blue), Not Sensitive (white), Not Exposed (white), Not Assessed (white), and Unknown (white).Further details on these categories are available in the associated methods document.

Potential Pressure

Continental shelf coarse sediments

Continental shelf mixed sediments

Continental shelf sands

Transition elements and organo-metal (e.g. TBT) contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC

Sensitive1

Sensitive1

Sensitive1

Hydrocarbon & PAH contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

Sensitive1

Sensitive1

Sensitive1

Synthetic compound contamination (incl. pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals). Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

Sensitive1

Sensitive1

Sensitive1

Deoxygenation

Not exposed

Not exposed

Not exposed

Nutrient enrichment

Not sensitive

Not sensitive

Not sensitive

Organic enrichment

Not sensitive

Not sensitive

Not sensitive

Physical change (to another seabed type)

Medium

High

High

Physical change (to another sediment type)

Medium2

High2

High2

Abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed

High*

Medium

Medium*

Penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion

Medium*

High

Medium*

Changes in suspended solids (water clarity)

Not sensitive

Medium*

Not sensitive

Smothering and siltation rate changes (light)

Medium*

Not sensitive

Medium

Litter

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Underwater noise changes

Not sensitive

Not sensitive

Not sensitive

Introduction of light

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Barrier to species movement

Not assessed

Not assessed

Not assessed

Collision BELOW water with static or moving objects not naturally found in the marine environment (e.g. boats, machinery and structures)

Not assessed

Not assessed

Not assessed

Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species (INIS)

Not assessed

High*

Medium*

Removal of target species

Not exposed

Not exposed

Not exposed

Removal of non-target species

Medium*

Medium

Medium*

1Whilst Environmental Quality Standards exist for non-synthetic and synthetic compounds in the marine environment, compliance with these EQS is not considered appropriate to ensure a Not Sensitive scoring in all cases and a Sensitive score is given for all features to reflect concerns that need to be addressed on a site basis.

2In FeAST, 'Physical change (to another seabed type)' encompasses both change to 'another seabed type' and 'another sediment type', as defined in the JNCC PAD.

*An asterisk is used to denote an underlaying range of sensitivities for habitat features (e.g. due to the feature including species with a range of different sensitivities to a pressure). high* denotes that the highest sensitivity score for the features is high; medium* denotes that the highest sensitivity score for the feature is medium. Unknown is used where there is no information in FeAST about the sensitivity of this habitat to the pressure listed.

Considering both the information on the pressure activity association (Table 2) and the sensitivity of the subtidal sands and gravels feature (Table 3), pressures that have the potential to affect the feature are summarised in Table 4.

Pressures that are not relevant to demersal trawls, demersal seines, boat dredges, traps/creels, and anchored nets/lines (pressures that are not exerted by that fishing activity: 'not relevant to the activity' in Table 2) do not need to be considered further in the assessment. According to the JNCC-Report-624-REVISED-WEB.pdf">PAD methods document (Robson et al., 2018), pressures with low risk profiles (i.e. 'low' risk profile for the activity: Tables 2 & 4) generally do not occur at a level of concern and should not require consideration as part of an assessment, unless there are evidence-based case or site-specific factors that increase the risk, or there is uncertainty on the level of pressure on a receptor. Pressures with 'medium-high' risk profiles are commonly induced by the activity at a level that needs to be considered further as part of an assessment.

Pressures from the FeAST sensitivity assessment forcontinental shelf coarse sediments, continental shelf mixed sediments, and continental shelf sands that were Not Exposed, Not Assessed, and Unknown were not considered further in the assessment (Table 4). Pressures where the feature was assessed as Not Sensitive were also screened out.

Pressures with a medium-high risk profile in PAD and to which FeAST assessed the feature as being Sensitive, Medium Sensitivity or High Sensitivity have the potential to affect the feature.

Of all the pressures considered, five have medium-high risk profiles (PAD) and have medium-high sensitivity (FeAST): abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed; penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion; changes in suspended solids (water clarity); smothering and siltation rate changes (light); and removal of non-target species (Table 4). These five pressures are subsequently considered to have the potential to affect the offshore subtidal gravels and sands feature. All five of these pressures are exerted by demersal trawls and demersal seines; static traps/creels are only associated with abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed, and removal of non-target species.

To ensure the effects of fishing activities in-combination with other activities (including other fishing activities) are fully assessed, the pressures from fishing activities which were not identified as capable of affecting the feature but which do interact with the features are considered in the in-combination aspect of the assessment (Part C).

Table 4. Summary of pressures that have the potential to affect the feature, based on pressure-activity associations (Table 2) and sensitivity of the subtidal sands and gravels feature (Table 3). Pressures with the potential to affect the feature are in dark blue.

Potential pressure

Mobile Fishing

Static fishing

Demersal trawls

Demersal seines

Boat Dredges

Traps/ creels

Set (fixed) net fishing

Line fishing

Transition elements and organo-metal (e.g. TBT) contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC

No – FeAST considered the feature may be sensitive to this pressure, but the pressure is a low risk profile for activity.

Hydrocarbon & PAH contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

No – FeAST considered the feature may be sensitive to this pressure, but the pressure is a low risk profile for activity.

Synthetic compound contamination (incl. pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals). Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

No – FeAST considered the feature may be sensitive to this pressure, but the pressure is a low risk profile for activity.

Deoxygenation

No – the pressure is a low risk profile for activity and the feature is not exposed.

Nutrient enrichment

No – the pressure is a low risk profile for activity and feature is not sensitive.

No – the pressure is not relevant to the activity and the feature is not sensitive to the pressure.

Organic enrichment

No – the pressure is a low risk profile for activity and the feature is not sensitive to the pressure.

Physical change (to another seabed type)

No – FeAST considered the feature to have a medium – high sensitivity but the pressure is a low risk profile for the activity.

No – FeAST considered the feature to have a medium – high sensitivity but the pressure is not relevant to the activity.

Physical change (to another sediment type)

No – FeAST considered the feature to have a medium – high sensitivity but the pressure is a low risk profile for the activity.

No – FeAST considered the feature to have a medium – high sensitivity but the pressure is not relevant to the activity.

Abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed

Yes – the pressure has a medium-high risk profile for the activity AND the feature has medium – high sensitivity to this pressure.

Penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion

Yes – the pressure has a medium-high risk profile for the activity AND the feature has medium – high sensitivity to this pressure.

No – FeAST considered the feature to have a medium – high sensitivity, but the pressure is a low risk profile for the activity.

Changes in suspended solids (water clarity)

Yes – the pressure has a medium-high risk profile for the activity AND the highest sensitivity the feature has to this pressure is Medium.

No – FeAST considered the feature to have a maximum sensitivity of Medium to this pressure, but the pressure is not relevant to the activity.

Smothering and siltation rate changes (light)

Yes – the pressure has a medium-high risk profile for the activity AND the highest sensitivity the feature has to this pressure is medium.

No – FeAST considered the feature to have a maximum sensitivity of medium to this pressure, but the pressure is not relevant to the activity.

Litter

No – the pressure is a low risk profile for activity.

Underwater noise changes

No – the pressure is a low risk profile for activity and the feature is not sensitive to this pressure.

Introduction of light

No – the pressure is a low risk profile for activity.

Barrier to species movement

No – the pressure is not relevant to the activity.

No – the pressure is a low risk profile for the activity.

Collision BELOW water with static or moving objects not naturally found in the marine environment (e.g. boats, machinery, and structures)

No – the pressure is a low risk profile for activity.

Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species (INIS)

No – FeAST considered the feature to have medium-high sensitivity to this pressure, but the pressure is a low risk profile for activity.

Removal of target species

No – the pressure has a medium-high risk profile for the activity, but the feature is not exposed to this pressure.

Removal of non-target species

Yes – the pressure has a medium-high risk profile for the activity AND the feature has medium sensitivity to this pressure.

2.5. Part A Conclusion

Considering the information on pressures and sensitivity above, mobile demersal fishing (including trawls, seines, and dredges) has the potential to affect the offshore subtidal sands and gravels feature within West Shetland Shelf NCMPA, through abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed; penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion; changes in suspended solids (water clarity); smothering and siltation rate changes (light); and the removal of non-target species. Static demersal fishing (traps/creels and anchored nets/lines) has the potential to affect the offshore subtidal sands and gravels feature within West Shetland Shelf NCMPA through abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed and the removal of non-target species. The five pressures are considered to have the potential to affect the offshore subtidal sands and gravels feature are taken through to Part B of the assessment.

Contact

Email: marine_biodiversity@gov.scot

Back to top