Marine Protected Areas: key terms

Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA)

The assessment undertaken to estimate the costs, benefits and risks of proposed legislation, voluntary regulation, codes of practice or guidance that impact the public, private or third sector.

Conservation Objectives

The broad ecological aims of each Marine Protected Area designated for nature conservation purposes. These set the framework for establishing appropriate conservation measures for each protected feature and provide a benchmark against which plans and projects are assessed.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

The global agreement for biological diversity. It has 3 main objectives; the conservation of biological diversity; the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity; and, the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources

Demonstration and research MPAs   

Demonstration and research Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are designated by Scottish Ministers under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Sites can be established for the purpose of demonstrating or carrying out research on sustainable methods of marine management or exploitation in Scottish territorial waters. Their application is not restricted to nature conservation. Proposals will be developed and assessed according to a set of specific guidelines which will examine the scientific case for a MPA, the level of support and the reasons why a MPA is the most appropriate mechanism to use. 

Ecosystem services

Processes by which the environment produces resources utilised by humans, such as clean air, water. Can also be referred to as benefits.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 

Evaluates the significant environmental effects likely to arise from proposed development projects. 

Fisheries Assessment

The assessments undertaken as part of the MPA fisheries management measures policy process to assess the potential impacts of fishing activities within each MPA.

Historic MPAs 

Historic Marine Protected Areas ‘Historic MPAs’ are designated under Section 67 of the Marine Scotland Act 2010 to protect marine historic assets (e.g., historic shipwrecks) of national importance within Scottish territorial waters. 

Islands Community Impact Assessment

The assessment undertaken to consider the impacts a policy, strategy or service might have on island communities in Scotland.

Marine monitoring strategy 

The strategy to outline the approach to MPA-related survey and monitoring to ensure that sufficient information is collected to underpin assessment and reporting obligations.

Marine Protected Area (MPA) 

The designation of an MPA provides immediate protection from any activity or works that may impact the designated features, within the site. The fisheries sector is not included in this immediate protection due to the complexities of potential impacts.  

The Scottish Government have legal obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity and OSPAR Convention to put in place a coherent network of protected areas to conserve marine biological diversity.  

Our protected sites which make up the MPA network are:  

• Nature Conservation MPAs  

• Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)  

• Special Protection Areas (SPA)  

• Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)  

• RAMSAR 

• Historic MPAs 

• Demonstration and Research MPAs     

Marine Strategy Regulations 

The Marine Strategy Regulations 2010 provide a comprehensive framework for the four UK administrations to take a coordinated approach to assess, monitor, and take action to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status (GES) across UK waters. Achieving GES is about protecting the marine environment, preventing its deterioration, and restoring it where practical, while allowing sustainable use of marine resources.

Natural Capital

The environmental resources (e.g. plants, animals, air, water, soils) that combine to yield a flow of benefits to people. The most obvious include food, clean water, energy, building materials and medicines. Other services include carbon sequestration, natural flood defences, pollination of crops and inspiration from nature.

Nature conservation MPAs  

Nature conservation MPAs are a type of MPA designed to afford protection to a range of nationally important habitats and species (“features”). Conservation objectives are set for features, allowing sustainable use of the site to continue as long as objectives can be achieved. These make up the majority of the MPAs within the network and are what is generally referred to when using the term MPA. These sites are designated under the Marine Scotland (2010) Act. 

OSPAR

The Convention by which fifteen Governments, together with the European Union, cooperate to manage work under the OSPAR Convention (Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic).

Other Area Based Measures
Spatial zones which contribute to the protection of marine biodiversity but are not set up specifically for nature conservation purposes.

Priority Marine Feature (PMF)  

Species and habitats which have been identified as being of conservation importance to Scotland. Most are a subset of species and habitats identified on national, UK or international lists.

RAMSAR 

Ramsar Sites are wetlands of international importance that have been designated under the criteria of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands for containing representative, rare, or unique wetland types or for their importance in conserving biological diversity. 

Scottish Biodiversity Strategy

The framework for how Scotland will protect and regenerate biodiversity to ensure the sustainable flow of ecosystem services on which we all depend. The strategy also speaks to the huge economic and social opportunities regenerating our biodiversity will bring – in terms of new investment, new job opportunities for communities and our overall health and wellbeing.

Scottish MPA Network

A collective term to describe all of the conservation sites plus Demonstration and Research MPAs, Historic MPAs, and Other Area Based Measures.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)  

A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a statutory designation made by NatureScot under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 for an area of special interest by reason of any of its flora, fauna, geological, geomorphological, or physiographical features.  

Social and Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) 

This assessment is undertaken to identify and assess the potential economic and social effects on the lives and circumstances of people, businesses, and communities. The assessment investigates the potential cumulative economic benefits and costs and associated potential social impacts of implementing the proposed management scenarios at the proposed site.

Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)  

A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) protects one or more special habitats and/or species – terrestrial or marine which is listed in the The Habitats Directive. 

‘The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2019’ has superseded ‘The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994’ after Scotland’s exit from the EU.

Special Protection Areas (SPA)  

Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are selected to protect one or more rare, threatened, or vulnerable bird species listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive (79/409/EEC as amended), or certain regularly occurring migratory species. 

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) 

A Strategic Environmental Assessment is undertaken to assess, consult on, and monitor the likely impacts plans, programmes and strategies will have on the environment. An SEA helps to better protect the environment, aims to ensure that any development is sustainable, and increases opportunities for public participation in decision-making. It ensures that expert views are sought at various points in the preparation process from the public and the consultation authorities. 

 Sustainability appraisal 

The Sustainability Appraisal is the overarching document which aims to capture the complexities of the potential socioeconomic and environmental impacts of fisheries management. The Strategic Environmental Assessment and a Socio-Economic Impact Assessment are used the inform the appraisal.

Sustainable development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

The Marine Acts

A collective term used to describe the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.

The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

The Act of the UK Parliament which gives the Scottish Ministers the power to designate MPAs in Scottish Offshore Waters.

The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010

The Act of the Scottish Parliament which gives the Scottish Ministers the power to designate MPAs in Territorial Waters.

UK Marine Strategy

The UK Marine Strategy provides the framework for delivering marine policy at the UK level and sets out how we will achieve the vision of clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas. The Marine Strategy is published in three parts of a six year cycle, which assess, monitor and details the Programme of Measures the UK will use until 2027 to support progress GES. 

Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem (VME) 

Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems are classified based on characteristics such as rarity, fragility, life history traits and the functional significance. These differ from Priority Marine Features as they relate to ecosystems inclusive of a range of species or habitat types, rather than an individual species or habitat type.