Sea of Hebrides Marine Protected Area: business and regulatory impact assessment

Scottish Firms Impact Test

This section will be informed by evidence gathered during the consultation phase, and completed in the final BRIA. In addition to the written consultation process there will be meetings with a number of businesses who may be affected by the proposal.

Many of the businesses affected may include some small and micro-sized firms. For the commercial fisheries sector the average number of fishers per Scottish vessel in 2017 was 2.3. Additional costs imposed by the designation of the Sea of the Hebrides as an MPA have the potential to fall on small businesses.