Inshore Marine Protected Areas - draft Fisheries Assessment: methodology report

Assessment structure

SACs and SPAs

The draft Fisheries Assessments for SACs and SPAs are generally divided into nine sections as summarised below:

Section 1 - General site Information

Section 2 - Is the plan or project directly connected with or necessary to site management for nature conservation?

Section 3 - Screening for likely significant effect

Section 4 - Appropriate Assessment: Assessment of implications of fishing activity in view of the conservation objectives

Section 5 - Appropriate Assessment: Assessment of whether it is possible to ascertain no adverse effect on the integrity of the site

Section 6 - Appropriate Assessment: Taking account of management measures

Section 7 - Conclusion

Section 8 - Monitoring and review

Section 9 - References

Sections 1-5 assess current relevant fishing activities occurring within the site and whether, if management measures were in place, it would be possible to conclude there is no adverse effect on site integrity for SACs/SPAs.

Section 1 provides information relating to the site designation and qualifying features.

Section 2 screens out those plans or projects directly connected with or necessary to site management for nature conservation.

Section 3 screens out those plans or projects which are not considered likely to have a significant effect on the SAC/SPA in question. For the avoidance of doubt, where an activity has been identified as capable of affecting the qualifying or classified features at the site, but is not currently occurring within the site, it is not screened for likely significant effect.

Section 4 involves an appropriate assessment of the implications for the site of the relevant fishing activities identified as likely to have a significant effect, in view of the site’s conservation objectives.

Section 5 considers whether it is possible to ascertain that the activities will not adversely affect the integrity of the site without mitigation measures in place.

Section 6 considers, as part of the ongoing appropriate assessment, whether any adverse impacts on site integrity can be avoided, or reduced to such a level that they will no longer result in an adverse effect on the integrity of the site, through the implementation of mitigation measures in the form of certain identified management measures and any other relevant mitigation options. Separately, this section also includes options for measures developed to deal with potential pressures at the site in respect of which it is considered appropriate to take preventive action.

Sections 7-9 summarise the conclusions of the assessment, the circumstances under which the assessment might be reviewed, and the information relied upon in the assessment.

Nature Conservation MPAs

The draft Fisheries Assessments for NCMPAs are generally divided into eight sections as summarised below:

Section 1 - General site Information

Section 2 - Screening for activities capable of affecting, other than insignificantly, the protected features within the site

Section 3 - Assessment of the impacts of the identified fishing activities on the protected features within the site

Section 4 - Assessment of whether there is a significant risk of the fishing activities hindering the achievement of the conservation objectives

Section 5 - Taking account of management measures

Section 6 - Conclusion

Section 7 - Monitoring and review

Section 8 - References

Sections 1-4 assess relevant fishing activities occurring within the site which are capable of affecting, other than insignificantly, the protected features within the site, and whether it is possible to conclude there is no significant risk of the activities hindering the achievement of the conservation objectives of NCMPAs.

Section 1 provides information relating to the site designation and the protected features.

Section 2 screens out those activities which are not capable of affecting, other than insignificantly, the protected features of NCMPAs. For the avoidance of doubt, where an activity has been identified as being capable of affecting the protected features but is not currently occurring within the site, it is not screened for capability to affect the protected features other than insignificantly.

Section 3 includes an assessment of the impacts of the activities identified as capable of affecting the protected features of the site, other than insignificantly, on those features.

Section 4 is an assessment of whether there is a significant risk of the activities hindering the achievement of the conservation objectives of the NCMPA.

Section 5 identifies potential management options to mitigate against the impacts outlined in Sections 3 and 4 and considers whether, with such measures in place, it is possible to conclude that there is no significant risk of the activities hindering the achievement of the conservation objectives for the NCMPA. Separately, this section also includes options for measures developed to deal with potential pressures at the site in respect of which it is considered appropriate to take preventive action.

Sections 6-8 summarise the conclusions of the assessment, the circumstances under which the assessment might be reviewed, and the information relied upon.