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Publication - Progress report

Marine Protected Area network: 2024 report to the Scottish Parliament

Published
19 December 2024
Directorate
Marine Directorate
Topic
Environment and climate change, Marine and fisheries
ISBN
9781836017189

A report to the Scottish Parliament on progress being made in implementing Scotland's Marine Protected Area (MPA) network.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Annex 4: Feature replication in the MPA network

This annex details the replication of features within the MPA network, considering Scotland's Priority Marine Features, broad-scale habitats, and habitats and species listed by EU Directives and the OSPAR convention.

The results present the combined contribution of Scottish nature conservation sites (SACs, SPAs, Nature Conservation MPAs, SSSIs and Ramsar Sites) to feature protection. The broad-scale habitats results (Table 4.1) also include the contribution of West Rockall Mound OECM.

During the analysis for the 2024 MPA network report, a few errors were noted from 2018 relating to bird replicate reporting. The necessary amendments have been made within this report (Table 4.4) and further details can be found in Table 4.6. Also since the 2018 report, four additional fish species have been protected in the network following the designation of the West of Scotland MPA.

The symbols in the following tables mean the following:

S

Protected in more than one site in the Scottish MPA network

UK

Protected in more than one site in the UK MPA network – note this symbol is only used if there is not replication in the Scottish MPA network

No

Not replicated in the UK MPA network

O

Not included in the Scottish MPA network, but included in other Scottish protected sites (above Mean High Water Springs (MHWS))

NP

Indicates species does not have a significant presence in the sub-region/region

N/A

Habitat or species does not occur within the Scottish part of the region
Table 4.1: Replicates of EUNIS level 3 habitats [18] by UKMS sub-region [19]
Broad-scale habitat

EUNIS

Code

Celtic Seas

Greater North Sea

Replication innetwork

High energy littoral rock

A1.1

14

4

S

Moderate energy littoral rock

A1.2

15

3

S

Low energy littoral rock

A1.3

17

5

S

Littoral coarse sediment

A2.1

8

3

S

Littoral sand and muddy sand

A2.2

20

11

S

Littoral mud

A2.3

11

8

S

Littoral mixed sediments

A2.4

8

6

S

Littoral sediments dominated by aquatic angiosperms

A2.6

5

10

S

Littoral biogenic reefs

A2.7

11

8

S

Atlantic and Mediterranean high energy infralittoral rock

A3.1

14

3

S

Atlantic and Mediterranean moderate energy infralittoral rock

A3.2 S

18

4

S

Atlantic and Mediterranean low energy infralittoral rock

A3.3

19

4

S

Atlantic and Mediterranean high energy circalittoral rock

A4.1

13

5

S

Atlantic and Mediterranean moderate energy circalittoral rock

A4.2

17

4

S

Atlantic and Mediterranean low energy circalittoral rock

A4.3

12

3

S

Sublittoral coarse sediment

A5.1

14

6

S

Sublittoral sand

A5.2

15

8

S

Sublittoral mud

A5.3

20

6

S

Sublittoral mixed sediments

A5.4

21

5

S

Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated sediment

A5.5

17

2

S

Sublittoral biogenic reefs

A5.6

13

5

S

Deep-sea rock and artificial hard substrata

A6.1

8

N/A

S

Deep-sea mixed substrata

A6.2

11

N/A

S

Deep-sea sand

A6.3

5

N/A

S

Deep-sea muddy sand

A6.4

5

N/A

S

Deep-sea mud

A6.5

6

N/A

S

Deep-sea bioherms

A6.6

9

N/A

S

Raised features of the deep-sea bed

A6.7

8

N/A

S
Table 4.2: Replicates for relevant listed [20] sea bed habitats by UKMS sub-region. There is only one known occurrence of Carbonate mounds in UK waters, and it is protected in Hatton Bank SAC, to the far west of Scotland.

Habitat

Celtic Seas

Greater North Sea

Replication innetwork

Blue mussel beds

13

11

S

Carbonate mounds

1

N/A

No

Coral gardens

4

N/A

S

Deep-sea sponge aggregations

6

N/A

S

Flame shell beds

6

N/A

S

Intertidal mudflats

11

8

S

Lopheliapertusareefs

7

N/A

S

Maerl beds

11

1

S

Modiolusmodiolusbeds

7

3

S

Northern sea fan and sponge communities

6

1

S

Ostreaedulisbeds

1

N/A

UK

Seagrass beds/Zosterabeds

18

12

S

Seamounts

3

N/A

S

Sea-pen and burrowing megafauna communities

12

2

S

Serpulidreefs/aggregations

2

N/A

S

Coastal lagoons

7

0

S

Estuaries

1

2

S

Large shallow inlets and bays

4

0

S

Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide

6

2

S

Reefs

24

5

S

Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time

6

3

S

Submarine structures made by leaking gases

0

2

S

Submerged or partially submerged sea caves

3

2

S
Table 4.3: Replicates for relevant listed [21] species by UKMS sub-region. For species marked with No, there is insufficient evidence to consider additional locations for selection as MPAs. Note flat/native oysters are considered in the habitat table above (Ostreaedulisbeds).

Species

Celtic Seas

Greater NorthSea

Replication innetwork

Balaenopteraacutorostrata– Minke whale

1

1

S

Grampusgriseus– Risso's dolphin

1

0

No

Phocoenaphocoena– Harbour porpoise

1

0

UK

Tursiopstruncatus– Bottlenose dolphin

0

1

UK

Halichoerusgrypus– Grey seal

7

3

S

Phocavitulina– Harbour seal

7

5

S

Lutralutra– Otter

15

4

S

Ammodytesmarinus/A.tobianus– Sandeels

2

2

S

Centrophorusgranulosus– Gulper shark

1

N/A

No

Centrophorussquamosus– Leafscale gulper shark

1

N/A

No

Centroscymnuscoelolepis– Portuguese dogfish

1

N/A

No

Cetorhinusmaximus– Basking shark

1

0

No

Coryphaenoidesrupestris– Round-nose grenadier

1

N/A

No

Dipturusintermedius– Flapper skate

2

0

S

Hoplostethusatlanticus– Orange roughy

2

N/A

S

Molvadypterygia– Blue ling

1*

N/A

No

Osmeruseperlanus– Smelt (Sparling)

1

0

UK O

Petromyzonmarinus– Sea lamprey

1

1

S

Arcticaislandica– Ocean quahog

10

4

S

Atrinafragilis– Fan mussel

1

0

UK

*Rosemary Bank and West of Scotland blue ling fisheries closures are no longer considered part of the Scottish MPA network following the designation of West of Scotland NC MPA, which protects blue ling and significantly overlaps with these two measures (formally considered OECMs). This has reduced the number of replicates from 2 in 2018 to 1 in 2024, but the area of protection for this species in Scottish waters has increased.

Table 4.4: Replicates for relevant bird species 5 by UKMS sub-region. These represent sites within the MPA network and do not include additional protected sites above Mean High Water Springs (MHWS). Table 4.6 includes the additional sites associated with these species and documents the amendments to bird replication results since the 2018 report.

Bird Species

Celtic Seas

Greater North Sea

Replication innetwork

Alcatorda– Razorbill

11

7

S

Anasacuta– Northern pintail

1

1

S

Anascrecca– Eurasian teal

1

2

S

Anaspenelope– Eurasian wigeon

NP

6

S

Arenariainterpres– Ruddy turnstone

4

4

S

Aythyamarila– Greater scaup

2

6

S

Brantabernicla– Brent goose

1

NP

UK

Bucephalaclangula– Common goldeneye #

3

5

S

Calidrisalba– Sanderling

4

1

S

Calidrisalpina– Dunlin

4

6

S

Calidriscanutus– Red knot

1

4

S

Calidrismaritima– Purple sandpiper

3

3

S

Cepphusgrylle– Black guillemot

4

2

S

Charadriushiaticula– Ringed plover

6

2

S

Chroicocephalusridibundus– Black-headed gull

1

1

S

Clangulahyemalis– Long-tailed duck #

2

3

S

Fraterculaarctica– Atlantic puffin

15

5

S

Fulmarusglacialis– Northern fulmar

19

9

S

Gaviaarctica– Black-throated diver

2

NP

S

Gaviaimmer– Great northern diver

6

2

S

Gaviastellata– Red-throated diver

7

5

S

Haematopusostralegus– Eurasian oystercatcher

5

7

S

Hydrobatespelagicus– European storm-petrel

1

0

UK O

Hydrocoloeusminutus– Little gull

NP

1

UK O

Larusargentatus– Herring gull

3

7

S

Laruscanus– Common gull

1

1

S

Larusfuscus– Lesser black-backed gull

1

1

S

Larusmarinus– Great black-backed gull

4

1

S

Limosalapponica– Bar-tailed godwit

2

6

S

Limosalimosa– Black-tailed godwit

NP

1

UK

Melanittafusca– Velvet scoter

1

4

S

Melanittanigra– Common scoter

1

3

S

Mergusmerganser– Goosander

1

2

S

Mergusserrator– Red-breasted merganser #

4

6

S

Morusbassanus(syn. Sulabassana) – Northern gannet

7

4

S

Numeniusarquata– Eurasian curlew

1

6

S

Oceanodromaleucorhoa– Leach's storm petrel

1

NP

No O

Phalacrocoraxaristotelis– European shag

8

7

S

Phalacrocoraxcarbo– Great cormorant

3

5

S

Pluvialissquatarola– Grey plover

1

2

S

Podicepsauritus– Slavonian grebe

5

4

S

Podicepscristatus– Great crested grebe

0

1

UK

Puffinuspuffinus– Manx shearwater

2

1

S

Rissatridactyla– Black-legged kittiwake

22

11

S

Somateriamollissima– Common eider #

5

7

S

Stercorariusparasiticus– Arctic skua

1

0

No O

Stercorariusskua– Great skua

1

0

No O

Sternadougallii– Roseate tern

N/A

0

UK O

Sternahirundo– Common tern

0

3

S

Sternaparadisaea– Arctic tern

0

1

UK O

Sternasandvicensis– Sandwich tern

NP

2

S

Sternulaalbifrons– Little tern

1

2

S

Tadornatadorna– Common shelduck

1

3

S

Tringatotanus– Common redshank

5

8

S

Uriaaalge– Common guillemot

25

11

S
Table 4.5: Replication of OSPAR listed habitats and species [22] by OSPAR Region. For features marked with No, there is insufficient evidence to consider additional locations for selection as MPAs. Note that in Region III, Ostreaedulisbeds are present and protected, but are not also separately protected as a species.

Feature name

OSPAR

T&D regions6

RegionI: Arctic Waters

RegionII: Greater NorthSea

RegionIII: CelticSeas

RegionV: Wider Atlantic

Replication in network

Carbonate mounds

V

N/A

N/A

N/A

1

No

Coral gardens

All

N/A

N/A

N/A

4

S

Deep sea sponge aggregations

I,III,V

0

2

N/A

4

S

Intertidal mudflats

I,II,III

N/A

9

10

N/A

S

Intertidal Mytilus edulis beds on mixed and sandy sediments

II, III

-

9

11

-

S

Lopheliapertusareefs

All

-

-

1

6

S

Maerl beds

III

N/A

2

10

N/A

S

Modiolusmodiolusbeds

All

N/A

4

6

N/A

S

Seamounts

I,V

N/A

N/A

N/A

3

S

Sea-pen and burrowing megafauna communities

II,III

N/A

3

8

3

S

Zosterabeds

I,II,III

N/A

15

15

-

S

Ostreaedulisbeds

II

N/A

-

1

N/A

UK

Ostreaedulis– Flat/native oyster

II,III

-

-

0

-

UK

Arcticaislandica– Ocean quahog

II,III

N/A

6

8

N/A

S

Centrophorusgranulosus– Gulper shark

V

N/A

N/A

-

1

No

Centrophorussquamosus

– Leafscale gulper shark

All

-

N/A

N/A

1

No

Centroscymnuscoelolepis

– Portuguese dogfish

All

N/A

N/A

N/A

1

No

Cetorhinusmaximus– Basking shark

All

-

-

1

-

No

Dipturusintermedius– Flapper skate

All

N/A

0

2

0

S

Hoplostethusatlanticus– Orange roughy

I,V

N/A

N/A

N/A

2

S

Petromyzonmarinus– Sea lamprey

I,II,III

N/A

1

1

N/A

S

Phocoenaphocoena– Harbour porpoise

II,III

-

0

1

-

UK

Rissatridactyla– Black- legged kittiwake

I,II,III

-

20

11

-

S

Sternadougallii-Roseate tern

II,III,V

N/A

0

N/A

N/A

UK O
Table 4.6 Number of sites protecting marine bird species that areexcluded from MPA feature replication reporting in 2024, by MSFD sub-region. This sets out the number of sites for each species where protected areas exist but are not reported in Table 4.4. For the breeding seabird species, sites (predominantly SSSIs) have been excluded from MPA feature replication reporting either because they overlap with, or sit adjacent to, an existing SPA with a marine extension (which will already be included in Table 4.4), and/or because the entire breeding site is above Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) and therefore not part of the MPA network. Nevertheless they provide additional protection for these species. These sites were included in error in the 2018 report but are now excluded from Table 4.4.

Feature name

Celtic Seassites

Greater North Sea sites

Alcatorda– Razorbill

14

5

Bucephalaclangula– Common goldeneye

0

1

Cepphusgrylle– Black guillemot

3

1

Chroicocephalusridibundus– Black-headed gull

0

0

Clangulahyemalis– Long-tailed duck

1

1

Fraterculaarctica– Atlantic puffin

11

5

Fulmarusglacialis– Northern fulmar

13

7

Gaviastellata– Red-throated diver

4

0

Hydrobatespelagicus– European storm-petrel

13

3

Larusargentatus– Herring gull

0

1

Laruscanus– Common gull

1

0

Larusfuscus– Lesser black-backed gull

0

0

Larusmarinus– Great black-backed gull

4

0

Mergusserrator– Red-breasted merganser

1

1

Morusbassanus(syn. Sulabassana) – Northern gannet

6

3

Oceanodromaleucorhoa– Leach's storm petrel

10

0

Phalacrocoraxaristotelis– European shag

10

5

Phalacrocoraxcarbo– Great cormorant

6

2

Puffinuspuffinus– Manx shearwater

2

1

Rissatridactyla– Black-legged kittiwake

16

11

Somateriamollissima– Common eider

1

3

Stercorariusparasiticus– Arctic skua

13

4

Stercorariusskua– Great skua

12

5

Sternadougallii– Roseate tern

0

2

Sternahirundo– Common tern

2

7

Sternaparadisaea– Arctic tern

16

7

Sternasandvicensis– Sandwich tern

1

5

Sternulaalbifrons– Little tern

2

4

Uriaaalge– Common guillemot

25

10

Contact

Email: marine_biodiversity@gov.scot

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