Planning Scotland's Seas: 2013 - The Scottish Marine Protected Area Project – Developing the Evidence Base for Impact Assessments and the Sustainability Appraisal Final Report - Appendix E - Marine Site Reports

• None.

• Displacement impacts.

• Displacement impacts.

• See national assessment.

• See national assessment.

• See national assessment.

• Costs of project delays during consenting; risk of deterrent to investment.

• Costs of project delays during consenting; risk of deterrent to investment.

• Costs of project delays during consenting; risk of deterrent to investment.

• None.

• None

• Cost of anchorage relocation.

According to VMS-based estimates and ICES rectangle landings statistics, Nephrops trawls, whitefish trawls, dredges, pots and other trawls (over-15m) and pots, whitefish and nephrops trawls, dredges and other gears (under-15m vessels) operate within the SMI proposed MPA. The value of catches from the SMI area was £1.07 million (over-15m vessels) and £722,000 (under-15m vessels, indicated from ICES rectangle landings data) (annual average for 2007-2011, 2012 prices). Landings from the over-15m vessels are predominantly into Mallaig (89%), with a small amount to Oban (4%), Northbay (2%) and Barra (2%). For the over-15m fleet, nephrops trawlers, whitefish trawlers and dredgers in particular operated across the whole proposed MPA over areas of burrowed mud and circalittoral sand and mud communities, while pots operated across the western part mainly over areas of northern sea fan and sponge communities.

Provisional ScotMap data indicate that the annual average earnings from the SMI proposed MPA was £720,600, with 65% of this from pots and over 30% from Nephrops trawls. The ICES rectangle estimate for the cost impact on <15m nephrops trawls is comparable to the estimated value of earnings from the area from ScotMap (£0.23 million), and for dredges is likely to be an over-estimate (ScotMap value is £0.01 million). The coverage for ScotMap interviews in the region was 71.9% (total value of reported landings from the Fisheries Information Network for those vessels included in the ScotMap value analysis expressed as a percentage of the total reported landings for all vessels <15m). Therefore the ScotMap estimate is likely to slightly under-represent the value of fishing by under-15m vessels, and the spatial representation of the value of fishing is less robust than in regions where coverage is higher.

VMS data indicate that there are no foreign vessels fishing within the SMI proposed MPA. Management measures for the scenarios have been developed based on the sensitivity and vulnerability of the features to the pressures caused by different gear types and SNH recommendations.

Unlike most other sectors, the potential cost of designation on commercial fisheries is a loss or displacement of current (and future) output, caused by restrictions on fishing activities. Any decrease in output will, all else being equal, reduce the Gross Value Added ( GVA) generated by the sector and have knock-on effects on the GVA generated by those industries that supply commercial fishing vessels. The costs estimates for this sector have therefore been estimated in terms of GVA.

GVA estimates have been generated by applying fleet segment-specific 'GVA/total income' ratios to the value of landings affected. The GVA ratios have been calculated using data on total income and GVA from the Sea Fish Industry Authority Multi-year Fleet Economic Performance Dataset (published March 2013). Further details on the GVA ratios and the methodology for estimating GVA and employment impacts applied are presented in Appendix C7.

It is important to note that all costs presented below assume that all affected landings are lost, that is, there is no displacement of fishing activity to alternative fishing grounds. In reality, some displacement is likely to occur and hence the cost, GVA and employment impacts presented in this table are likely to overestimate the costs.

• No cost impacts expected.

• Reduce mobile bottom-contact gear (whitefish, nephrops and other trawls and seines, beam trawls and dredges) pressure by 50% across burrowed mud;
• Closure to mobile bottom-contact gears (see above) across horse mussel beds, northern feather star, white cluster anemone, fan mussel aggregations and northern sea fan features; and
• Limit further expansion of static gears.

• Closure to mobile bottom-contact gears (whitefish, nephrops and other trawls and seines, beam trawls and dredges) across burrowed mud and circalittoral sand and mud;
• Closure mobile bottom-contact gears (whitefish, nephrops and other trawls and seines, beam trawls and dredges) across horse mussel beds, northern feather star, white cluster anemone, fan mussel aggregations and northern sea fan; and
• Limit further expansion of static gears.

• None.

• None.

• None.

• None.

• Loss of >15m fishing income (annual values, £ million, 2012 prices):
• Nephrops trawls (0.158);
• Whitefish trawls (0.063);
• Other affected gears (0.012).
• Loss of <15m fishing income (annual values, £ million, 2012 prices):
• Whitefish & Nephrops trawls (0.047);
• Dredges (0.047);
• Other gears (<0.001).

• Loss of >15m fishing income (annual values, £ million, 2012 prices):
• Nephrops trawls (0.464);
• Whitefish trawls (0.197);
• Other affected gears (0.049).
• Loss of <15m fishing income (annual values, £ million, 2012 prices):
• Whitefish & Nephrops trawls (0.276);
• Dredges (0.021);
• Other gears (<0.001).

• None.

• Displacement effects, including conflict with other fishing vessels, environmental impacts in targeting new areas, longer steaming times and increased fuel costs, changes in costs and earnings, gear development and adaptation costs, and additional quota costs.

• Displacement effects, including conflict with other fishing vessels, environmental impacts in targeting new areas, longer steaming times and increased fuel costs, changes in costs and earnings, gear development and adaptation costs, and additional quota costs.

Nine military practice areas (Hawes (X5635), Eigg (X5636), Rhum (X5707) and Canna (X5708), and five submarine exercise areas) overlap with the SMI proposed MPA.

The military practice areas Hawes (X5635), Eigg (X5636), Rhum (X5707) and Canna (X5708) overlap with Black Guillemot (all scenarios), burrowed mud (all scenarios), circalittoral sand and mud communities (all scenarios), northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrate (all scenarios) and shelf deeps (all scenarios). Rhum (X5707) and Canna (X5708) also overlap with northern sea fan and sponge communities (all scenarios), fan mussel aggregations (all scenarios), white cluster anemone (all scenarios) and horse mussel beds (Canna - all scenarios, Rhum - high scenario only). Hawes (X5635) also overlaps with northern sea fan and sponge communities (all scenarios).

The five submarine exercise areas overlap with the features of the SMI proposed MPA to varying degrees under the different extent scenarios.

The features and associated habitats which overlap with military activities have not been described as vulnerable to MoD activities in this proposed MPA. It is assumed that management relating to MoD activity will be coordinated through the MoD's Maritime Environmental Sustainability Appraisal Tool ( MESAT) which the MoD uses to assist in meeting its environmental obligations. This process will include operational guidance to reduce significant impacts of military activities on MPAs. It is assumed that the MoD will incur additional costs in adjusting MESAT and other MoD environmental assessment tools in order to consider whether its activities will impact on the conservation objectives of MPAs and also incur additional costs in adjusting electronic charts to consider MPAs. However, these costs will be incurred at national level and hence no site-specific cost assessments have been made.

• See National Assessment.

• See National Assessment.

• See National Assessment.

• Additional licensing costs for small port developments (up to 1 in total).

• Additional licensing costs for small port developments (up to 1 in total).

• Additional licensing costs for small port developments (up to 1 in total).

• Additional assessment costs for licence application - £6.75k per licence application. Application estimated for submission in 2024 (Canna).

• Additional assessment costs for licence application - £6.75k per licence application. Application estimated for submission in 2024 (Canna).

• Additional assessment costs for licence application - £6.75k per licence application. Application estimated for submission in 2024 (Canna).

• None.

• None.

• None.

• Costs of project delays during consenting; risk of deterrent to investment.

• Costs of project delays during consenting; risk of deterrent to investment.

• Costs of project delays during consenting; risk of deterrent to investment.

There are nine recreational boating cruising routes that intersect with the\s SMI proposed MPA; four light traffic and five medium traffic routes. Vessels transiting cruising routes are not assessed as requiring any additional management measures.

Under the upper scenario, there are seven anchorages for recreational boating that overlap with features proposed for protection within the MPA proposal boundary, overlapping with black guillemot, burrowed mud and northern sea fan and sponge communities. Ten Crown Estate mooring points are also present that overlap with the feature extent for black guillemot.

Under the intermediate and lower scenarios, SNH have identified some overlaps between anchorages at Canna harbour and basking sharks, although generally the interaction between basking sharks and anchorages is not deemed significant.

• No additional management required because interaction not deemed to be significant between basking sharks and anchoring more generally.

• No additional management required because interaction not deemed to be significant between basking sharks and anchoring more generally.

• Relocate anchorages away from all features with a medium or high sensitivity to surface abrasion pressure associated with anchoring: burrowed mud; northern sea fan and sponge communities. If not possible to relocate away from features, relocate to less sensitive or more representative areas.

• None.

• None.

• None.

• None.

• None.

• None.

• None.

• None

• Cost of anchorage relocation.

• Healt h (increase in illness, mental stress, loss of self esteem

• Increase in crime; and
• Reduction in f u ture emp lo y me n t prospects/future earnings.

• Empl o y m e nt - reduced employment due to changes in costs and earnings profile of vessels ( e.g. increased fuel costs, gear development and adaption costs, additional quota costs);
• Conflict/Loss of social cohesion - diminishing fishing grounds may increase conflict with other vessels/gear types, increase social tensions within fishing communities and lead to a loss of social cohesion among fleets. Could also lead to increased operating costs as a result of lost or damaged gear. Equally, gear conflict could reduce where gears are restricted/prohibited;
• Healt h - increased risks to the safety of fishers and vessels and increased stress due to moving to lesser known areas;
• E n v ironmental - increased impact in targeting new areas, longer streaming times and increased fuel consumption; and
• Culture and heritage - change in traditional fishing patterns/ activities.

Commercial Fisheries

Reduction in landed value, GVA and employment

xx

North-West West East

xx

Largest employment impacts in:

Mallaig (76%), Stornoway (6%), Oban (6%), Campbeltown (4%), Ayr (3%).

xx

Coastal and Island

Rural and Urban

xxx

Potentially significant negative effect if parent loses job/becomes unemployed.

xxx

Potentially significant negative effect if individuals lose job/become unemployed.

xx

Potential negative effect if retirees own affected vessels or live in households affected by unemployment.

xxx

0-11.5 job losses

Potentially significant negative effect on individuals that lose job/become unemployed.

xxx

Potentially significant negative effect if member of household loses job/becomes unemployed.

Fish Processors

Reduction in local landings at landing ports

xx

North-West West

xx

Mallaig Oban Barra Northbay Castlebay

xx

Coastal and Island

Rural and Urban

Commercial Fisheries

Reduction in landed value, GVA and employment

x

Information only available on average incomes not the distribution of income. Therefore, not clear whether this group will be affected.

0

No employment data but unlikely to be employed in fisheries.

Fish Processors

Reduction in local landings at landing ports

0

No employment data but unlikely to be employed in fisheries.