Scottish Marine Protected Areas (MPA) monitoring strategy: supporting annexes 7 to 8
Annexes 7 and 8 of the MPA monitoring strategy covering the recently completed MPA monitoring activities and surveys planned in the next two years.
Annex 8: A forward-look work programme for MPA and wider seas biodiversity monitoring – 2023 & 2024
The tables on the following pages provide a summary of proposed MPA-related marine biodiversity survey and monitoring work to be undertaken, co-ordinated or commissioned by Scottish Government (SG), NatureScot (NS) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) over the next few years. Whilst primarily MPA-related, this includes studies facilitated by MS research vessels (e.g. MASTS cruise time allocations). The tables encompass work on marine mammals, fish and seabed habitats.
The survey proposals for 2023 and beyond are indicative only at this stage and subject to revision.
Work on marine waterbirds (as outlined in Annex 4 of the original MPA Monitoring Strategy) will also continue e.g. SCARABBS, RBBP, WeBS, NEWS. Monitoring of reserves by partner organisations particularly RSPB, NTS and Ringing Groups will contribute to future monitoring as before.
A wide range of other NGO-led and volunteer-driven surveys continue to make an invaluable contribution to MPA assessment and reporting obligations. These studies have not been incorporated in the forward-look programme. NatureScot is currently working with relevant external partners to ensure that future NatureScot funding helps improve the evidence-base upon which decisions relating to Scotland’s marine natural heritage are made. This includes prioritising MPA-related monitoring.
2023
Feature group |
Feature(s) |
Location |
Description of works |
Type(s) |
Organisation(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marine mammals |
Harbour seals |
South-East Islay Skerries SAC |
Aerial surveys during harbour seal moult (August) around coastline from Loch Hourn down to the Solway Firth border |
Type 1 |
SMRU / NatureScot |
Eileanan agus Sgeiran Lios mor SAC |
Boat surveys during harbour seal moult (August) in Eileanan agus Sgeiran Lios mor SAC |
Type 1 |
NatureScot |
||
Grey seals |
Faray and Holm of Faray SAC |
Biennial aerial surveys of the main grey seal breeding colonies in Scotland. (September to December) |
Type 1 |
SMRU |
|
Isle of May SAC |
|||||
Monach Isles SAC |
|||||
North Rona SAC |
|||||
Treshnish Isles SAC |
|||||
Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast SAC |
|||||
Shetland |
Annual boat/land based grey seal breeding surveys of main colonies in Shetland |
Type 1 |
NatureScot |
||
Bottlenose dolphins |
Moray Firth SAC |
Passive acoustic array at 31 locations along the east coast (April to November) of Scotland. |
Type 0 |
MSS |
|
Photo-identification studies of bottlenose dolphins in the east coast population - Moray Firth surveys |
Type 1 |
University of Aberdeen |
|||
Photo-identification studies of bottlenose dolphins in the east coast population - Firth of Tay and Firth of Forth surveys |
St Andrews University |
||||
Harbour porpoise |
Inner Hebrides and the Minches SAC |
Passive acoustic array at 10 locations within the SAC (year round) Towed PAM (inc. winter data) & continuation of SPUE survey for cetaceans and basking shark on west coast |
Type 0 Type 0 |
EMFF/MSS HWDT |
|
Risso’s dolphin |
North-East Lewis MPA |
Photo-identification studies of population & fixed PAM |
Type 1 |
WDC |
|
Minke Whale |
Sea of the Hebrides MPA |
SPUE survey for cetaceans and minke whale on west coast |
Type 1 |
WDC |
|
Cetaceans |
UK EEZ |
Bycatch monitoring through on-board observer programme |
Type 2 |
Co-ordinated by SMRU |
|
Marine mammals |
Scotland |
Strandings investigations lead by SMASS around the coast of Scotland with post-mortem examinations taking place in situ or in facilities at University of Glasgow |
Type 2 |
SMASS/ University of Glasgow |
|
Fish |
Tope Basking shark |
Sea of Hebrides MPA |
Acoustic tagging of basking sharks and potentially tope with a small array covering Gunna Sound and SW Tiree to investigate rates of individual annual returns and potentially estimate numbers using area. Collection of SPUE of cetaceans and basking sharks on west coast by HWDT. Further camera tag work to investigate social behaviour and determine if breeding occurs in site. Potentially further trialling of image sonar to detect groups of sharks. |
Type 0 & 1 |
NatureScot / MSS/ University of Exeter / |
Flapper Skate |
Loch Sunart to Sound of Jura MPA |
PIT tags and photo-ID mark-recapture analysis |
Type 1 |
SAMS/NatureScot |
|
Seabed habitats |
PMF mgt. areas |
Various including Loch Eribol, Loch Bracadale, Eddrachilles etc |
Drop-down video surveys to improve our knowledge of PMF features in PMF area. |
Type 1 |
NatureScot / MSS Alba cruise 0523a |
Subtidal sandbanks |
Sound of Barra SAC |
Infaunal sampling in repeat monitoring boxes, combined with video sampling of maerl and coarse sediment habitats to establish baseline from which to assess effectiveness of management measures. |
Type 1 & 3 |
NatureScot / MSS Alba cruise 0523a |
|
Maerl beds; maerl or coarse shell gravel; seagrass beds |
South Arran MPA |
Diver monitoring of established transects. Seagrass bed mapping (drone/echosounder techniques validated by snorkelers) |
Types 1 & 3 |
NatureScot |
|
Flame shell beds |
Wester Ross and Loch Carron MPAs and Inner Sound |
Video, infaunal, diver and acoustic surveys to assess presence, condition, recovery, and effectiveness of management measures |
Types 0, 1 & 3 |
NatureScot & NatureScot / MSS (Alba cruise 0523a |
|
Loch Carron MPA |
Diver surveys to assess effects of creeling |
Type 1 |
Heriot-Watt University / NatureScot |
||
Flame shell beds, serpulid reefs |
Loch Creran SAC / MPA |
Repeat diver monitoring of relocatable, subtidal Didemnum vexillum invasive non-native species monitoring stations. |
Type 2 |
Heriot-Watt University / NatureScot |
|
Rocky shores |
Shetland and the Inner Hebrides |
Continuation of MarClim rocky shore survey work (broad community changes incl. effects of climate change) |
Type 2 |
SAMS - funded NatureScot / MS |
|
Burrowed mud |
Central Fladen |
A day grab survey of the burrowed mud feature will take place in June 2023. |
Type 1 |
JNCC / MSS (Scotia) |
|
Annex 1 bedrock and stony reef |
Pobie Bank |
This survey in July\August 2023 aims to collect the 2nd point in a monitoring time series using video and still imagery from a drop camera. If possible, side scan data will be used to fill in the gaps in the acoustic coverage for the site. This data will be used to produce a new habitat map for the site. |
Type 1 |
JNCC / MSS (Scotia) |
|
Birds |
Divers, grebes, seaducks and European shag |
Outer Firth of Forth and St Andrews Bay Complex SPA or Moray Firth SPA |
Digital Aerial Surveys of inshore wintering waterfowl during winter 2023/34 |
Type 1 |
NatureScot |
Wintering gulls (all species except kittiwake) |
UK-wide but including Outer Firth of Forth and St Andrews Bay Complex SPA and Solway Firth SPA |
Winter Gull Roost Survey (WinGS). Last surveyed 2005. |
Type 1 |
BTO led, funded by SNCBs and government bodies. |
|
Breeding seabird colonies |
Scotland |
Key seabird colonies to be monitored under SCM. Additional proposed sites include: East Caithness Cliffs, Flannan Isles, Mingulay and Berneray, North Rona and Sule Sgeir, Sanda Islands, Shiant Isles, St Kilda, Priest Island (Summer Isles), Fair Isle, Ailsa Craig, Noss, Foula, Hoy, Rousay, Staffa, Stroma, Sule Skerry and Sule Stack, Sumburgh Head, Hermaness and Handa. |
Type 1 |
Collaboration across organisations, including NatureScot, RSPB, BTO |
|
Breeding seabird colonies |
Scotland |
Additional sites have been added to 2023 monitoring as a result of HPAI impacts. |
Type 1 |
NatureScot, RSPB |
2024
The seal surveys are planned with SMRU as part of their 5-year rolling programme covering the entire Scottish coastline but may be subject to revision depending on weather conditions and logistics. The cetacean monitoring work for the 2024 season is currently under discussion with key partner organisations; the existing memorandum of agreements with partners complete at the end of 2023/24. The aim in future is to develop a strategic programme of monitoring work for the cetacean MPAs from 2024 onwards. Similarly, there is ongoing dialogue with partners and experts to develop a programme of monitoring for elasmobranchs and other fish species from 2024 onwards. The seabed habitat survey proposals for 2024 are indicative only at this stage and may be subject to revision with focus and scope of programme currently subject to discussion.
Feature group |
Feature(s) |
Location |
Description of works |
Type(s) |
Organisation(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marine mammals |
Harbour seals |
Yell Sound Coast SAC |
Aerial surveys during harbour seal moult (August) around the North Coast, Orkney and Shetland coastline. |
Type 1 |
SMRU/ NatureScot |
Mousa SAC |
|||||
Sanday SAC |
|||||
Grey seals |
Faray and Holm of Faray SAC |
Biennial aerial surveys of the main grey seal breeding colonies in Scotland. (September to December). |
Type 1 |
SMRU |
|
Isle of May SAC |
|||||
Monach Isles SAC |
|||||
North Rona SAC |
|||||
Treshnish Isles SAC |
|||||
Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast SAC |
|||||
Shetland |
Biennial aerial surveys of the main grey seal breeding colonies in Scotland. (September to December). |
Type 1 |
NatureScot |
||
Cetaceans |
UK EEZ |
Bycatch monitoring through on-board observer programme |
Type 2 |
Co-ordinated by SMRU |
|
Marine Mammals |
Scotland |
Photo-identification studies of bottlenose dolphins in the east coast population - Firth of Tay and Firth of Forth surveys Strandings investigations lead by SMASS around the coast of Scotland with post mortem examinations taking place in situ or in facilities at University of Glasgow. |
Type 1 Type 2 |
St Andrews University SMASS/ University of Glasgow |
|
Harbour Porpoise |
Inner Hebrides and the Minches SAC |
Towed PAM (inc. winter data) & continuation of SPUE survey for cetaceans and basking shark on west coast |
Type 0 |
HWDT |
|
Risso’s dolphin |
North-East Lewis MPA |
Photo-identification studies of population & fixed PAM |
Type 1 |
WDC |
|
Minke whale |
Sea of the Hebrides MPA |
SPUE survey for cetaceans and minke whale on west coast |
Type 1 |
WDC |
|
Fish |
Tope Basking shark |
Sea of Hebrides MPA |
Acoustic tagging work to continue investigation of rates of individual annual returns and potentially estimate numbers using area. Potentially further camera tagging work to investigate social behaviour and determine if breeding occurs in site. Collection of SPUE data for basking shark as part of HWDT’s cetacean monitoring programme (currently in the process of setting up the next MoU to continue this work). Desk based work to investigate feasibility of use of high definition satellite imagery for monitoring, if feasible may run contract to purchase data and analyse. |
Type 0 & 1 |
NatureScot / MSS/ University of Exeter / HWDT |
Flapper Skate |
Loch Sunart to Sound of Jura MPA |
PIT tags and photo-ID mark-recapture analysis |
Type 1 |
SAMS / NatureScot |
|
Seabed habitats |
Burrowed mud; flame shell beds |
Upper Loch Fyne & loch Goil MPA |
Small vessel DDV, infaunal sampling, diving. |
Type 1 |
NatureScot |
PMF mgt. areas |
Various - scale of works TBC |
Drop-down video surveys to establish baseline conditions prior to the introduction of fisheries management measures (dependant on timescales) monitoring strategy for PMF areas under consideration |
Type 1 |
NatureScot |
|
Maerl beds |
Wyre and Rousay Sounds MPA |
Small vessel DDV, infaunal sampling, diving. |
Type 1 |
NatureScot |
|
Flame shell beds, serpulid reefs |
Loch Creran SAC / MPA |
Repeat diver monitoring of relocatable, subtidal Didemnum vexillum invasive non-native species monitoring stations. |
Type 2 |
Heriot-Watt University / NatureScot |
|
Subtidal sandbanks |
Sound of Barra SAC |
Small vessel DDV, infaunal sampling, diving – shallower maerl and seagrass |
Type 1 & 3 |
NatureScot |
|
Annex 1 bedrock stony & biogenic reef |
Wyville Thomson Ridge SAC |
Video and still imagery data of epifaunal communities will be collected using a drop camera. |
1 |
JNCC, MSS |
|
Birds |
Divers, grebes, seaducks and European shag |
Scotland |
Digital Aerial Surveys of inshore wintering waterfowl during winter 2024/25. |
Type 1 |
NatureScot |
Breeding and non-breeding marine birds at sea |
UK-wide |
Continued VSAS surveys planned for 2024. |
Type 1 |
JNCC, NatureScot |
|
Wintering gulls (all species except kittiwake) |
Scotland |
WinGS survey to continue into winter of 2024/2025 |
Type 1 |
BTO |
|
Breeding seabird colonies |
Monach Isle MPA, Clyde Sill MPA, East Caithness Cliffs MPA |
Key seabird colonies to be monitored as normal under SCM. |
Type 1 |
Collaboration across organisations, including NatureScot, RSPB, BTO |
|
Black guillemot |
Small Isles MPA, Fetlar to Haroldswick MPA, Papa Westray MPA, East Caithness Cliffs MPA |
Camera trapping and nocturnal census with thermal camera to determine presence and activity of mammalian predators on the MPAs. Use of time-lapse cameras to establish black guillemot fishing activities and trail cams set at nest locations to check for breeding activity and kleptoparasitism rates. |
Type 2 |
NatureScot |
|
Black guillemot |
Boat surveys. Last surveys were in 2013. |
Type 1 |
NatureScot |
Contact
Email: marine_biodiversity@gov.scot
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