Transcript Sebastian Howell_MPAs - Scottish Islands Federation

What is the MPA network?
Marine Nature Conservation Strategy
Vision:
Clean, healthy, safe, productive
and biologically diverse marine
and coastal environment that
meets the long term needs of
people and nature. safe,
The Three Pillar Approach
to Marine Nature Conservation
Site Protection
Species Protection
Wider Measures
Marine Licence
SACs
SPAs
SSSIs
Ramsar sites
MPAs
Conservation Orders,
Site management
plans etc
European
Protected Species
National Protected
Species
eg Basking shark,
seals
Other measures
eg Priority Marine
Features
Marine Planning
& Partnerships
Regional Marine
Planning
Sector plans
Marine licensing
Common Fisheries
Policy
Marine (Scotland) Act 2010
& Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009
• Duty to have an MPA network
• Power to designate Nature Conservation,
Demonstration and Research, and Historic MPAs
• Duties and powers to protect any MPAs
• Power to take account of socio-economics
• Principle of Best Available Evidence
EU Directives
Wild Birds Directive
Classify most suitable territories as SPAs for: rare or vulnerable bird
species; and regularly occurring migratory bird species.
Habitats Directive
Article 4 of the EU Habitats Directive sets out the provisions for the
selection of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for Annex I
habitats and Annex II species.
Marine Strategy Framework Directive
The whole MPA network is a contribution towards delivery of Good
Environmental Status
MPA NETWORK NOW CONSISTS OF
• 30 nature conservation MPAs protecting habitats and species such
as maerl beds, coral gardens, and common skate.
• 47 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) to protected species and
habitats such as bottle nose dolphin, coral reefs and seals.
• 45 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for colonies of seabirds such as
puffins and kittiwakes.
• 61 Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) for the further
protection of species from seabirds and seals to habitats from sea
caves and rocky shores.
• 194 seal haul-out sites, where seals are protected from harassment.
• Five seal conservation areas to protect vulnerable local populations
of common seals. These areas cover Moray Firth, Shetland, Orkney,
Firth of Tay and the Western Isles.
Components of MPA network
• Nature Conservation MPAs
• Other protected areas (SACs, SPAs, SSSIs,
Ramsar)
• Demonstration and Research MPAs
• Historic MPAs
• Other area-based measures e.g. fisheries
closures
Nature Conservation MPAs
Other protected areas
(SACs, SPAs, SSSIs, Ramsar)
Demonstration and Research MPAs
Historic MPAs
Management Principles
Fishing
Designations do not automatically;
• Create a No Take Zone
• Create a fishery closed area
Instead;
• Management on principle of sustainable use
within the legal framework
• All require some fisheries management
• Some require stricter measures for recovery
Feature examples
MPAs and SPAs
New SPA designations
• The suite of SPAs on land in Scotland is well
established, but further work is needed to
complete a network at sea.
• The UK government has committed to identifying
a network of SPAs in the marine environment and
is currently in process of identifying the most
suitable territories
New MPA designations
• In 2012 SNH identified further survey and
research was needed to provide formal advice on
four remaining MPA search locations.
• Now research is complete and SNH advice is that
the four MPA proposals be designated for the
proposed protected features.
Complete
SAC network
under
Habitats
Directive for
harbour
porpoise:
Inner
Hebrides and
Minches
pSAC
Demonstration and Research MPAs
•
•
•
Demonstrating, or carrying out research on sustainable methods
of marine management or exploitation in territorial waters.
Can be proposed by anyone (community, business, Government)
One proposal for Fair Isle which if
designated has the potential to demonstrate
the socio-economic benefits of the marine
environment and investigate the factors
affecting seabird populations on Fair Isle,
particularly climate change impacts and
direct human influences.
Potential benefits
In addition to maintaining healthy
ecosystems and protecting valuable
biodiversity and geodiversity species
and habitats, MPAs provide benefits
to ecosystem services that we rely on
Tangible ways they help
• Carbon Capture – maerl and seagrass
• Greater fish productivity for human and nonhuman consumption – maerl for juvenile
scallop and sandeel for many mobile species
• Improving water clarity/quality – horse mussel
• Stabilising coastal sediment - seagrass
• Natural hazard protection from storms - reefs
• Research and education – D&R MPAs
In turn this benefits services dependent on
healthy and productive seas such as:
• Ecotourism & Recreational
activities
• Bird and wildlife watching, and
SCUBA diving …….
~£78 million every year!!
Because biodiversity features of an
MPA contribute to the health of a range
of ecosystem services……which in turn
help us too.
ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE MAY 2011
•30 Nature Conservation Marine protected areas
(MPAs) designated
•7 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)
designated
•16 protected areas with new fisheries
management measures implemented
•194 seal haul-out sites designated
•5 seal conservation areas have been established
Next steps
• Analyse consultation responses for:
– SAC for Harbour Porpoise
– Fair Isle Demonstration and Research MPA
– Ythan seal haul-out designation
• Consider post-consultation advice from Historic
Environment Scotland on Wreck of Iona HMPA
• Launch consultation on
– Marine SPAs for seabirds
– Nature Conservation MPAs for mobile species
– Phase 2 Management for existing MPAs and SACs
PERCENTAGE OF OUR SEAS
IN MPA NETWORK
OVER 20%
Thank you for
listening - Questions