Red Rocks and Longay Marine Protected Area: business and regulatory impact assessment

Background

The Scottish Government is committed to a clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse marine and coastal environment that meets the long-term needs of people and nature. In order to meet this commitment our seas must be managed in a sustainable manner by balancing the competing demands on marine resources with appropriate conservation measures. Biological and geological diversity must be protected to ensure our future marine ecosystem continues to provide sustainable economic, environmental and social benefits.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in coastal waters are designated under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. The Red Rocks and Longay MPA in the Inner Sound of Skye was designated on an urgent basis in 2021, along with an urgent Marine Conservation Order (MCO). This action was taken after the discovery of a flapper skate egg nursery area. However, both the urgent MPA and MCO are time limited to a maximum of two years. The permanent designation of the site and the associated MCO will come into force on 07 November 2022.