Flapper Skate protection: NatureScot advice to the Scottish Government

NatureScot advice

The location where the egg-laying habitat has been recorded is at the Red Rocks, Inner Sound (see Figure 1). NatureScot undertook survey work in March 2020 which confirmed the presence of both live and hatched egg cases on the seabed.

Including this location within the MPA network has the potential to make a significant contribution to the conservation of flapper skate in Scotland, however, it is not the only type of spatial protection that could achieve this. We know there is exposure to fishing activity in the general vicinity of the Red Rocks that has the potential to negatively affect the quality of this location and its ability to continue to provide suitable egg-laying habitat in the future. However, the extent of the egg-laying habitat, and the overlap with relevant fishing activity are currently unknown and would require further survey work and analysis, including by Marine Scotland before a decision on whether to designate an MPA could be taken. We do not have any evidence of damage at this location which, combined with our understanding of the complex topography which is likely to confer a degree of natural protection, suggests that action does not need to be taken urgently. However, given current uncertainties in our understanding we think it would be reasonable to

take a precautionary approach to considering when and how spatial protection might be implemented.

The location at the Red Rocks is the first example of a high-density egg-laying site recorded in Scotland. There are a number of other locations in which one or a few egg cases have been recorded on the seabed. There are also locations where numerous hatched egg cases have been washed ashore. However, it is worth noting that despite numerous surveys on potentially suitable habitat, there are still relatively few observations of egg cases on the seabed. This is an indication that, even with dedicated additional survey work, areas with egg cases present in the densities recorded at Red Rocks are not likely to be widespread. Therefore, our advice is that this this is likely to be an important location for flapper skate in Scottish waters.

Taking account of the conservation needs of the flapper skate and the requirements of the relevant conservation legislation, policies and strategies, our advice is that it is relevant to consider further action relating to the protection of egg-laying habitat of flapper skate. This is because the focus of action to date has been largely on adult skate and not on the egg-case phase of their lifecycle, which is critical to the recovery of the population. An additional MPA to protect this habitat has the potential to be of benefit and help support an ecosystem-based approach to conservation of this population, although it would require additional survey work and would still not enable the network to reflect the geographic range of flapper skate in Scotland's seas. Based on our current understanding, there is potential for scallop dredge activity in this location to have a significant impact on the national status of flapper skate (through adverse interaction with egg-laying habitat). Therefore our advice is that spatial protection, whether through designation of an MPA or through implementation of fishery management measures, has the potential to make a contribution to the continued recovery of the flapper skate population in Scotland. Depending on the outcome of the assessment of fishing activity, progressing work on the relevant PMF management area would, at the least, support a precautionary approach and provide interim protection to flapper skate, alongside other sensitive PMFs. We would be keen to see work relating to protection of this location prioritised by both NatureScot and Marine Scotland.

The remainder of this letter provides further detail to support this advice.