Scottish Offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - fisheries management measures: fisheries assessment – Darwin Mounds SAC

Executive Summary

The scope of this fisheries assessment is the Darwin Mounds Special Area of Conservation (SAC) located approximately 160 km north-west of Cape Wrath, Scotland, at the north end of the Rockall Trough and varies in depth from 710 meters to 1,129 meters. This site occurs in the offshore region (12 to 200 nautical miles, nm). 12 to 200 nautical miles, nm).

The site is designated for Annex I Reef; stony, bedrock and biogenic reef. The conservation objectives for the site are for the feature to be in favourable condition thus ensuring site integrity in the long term and contribution to Favourable conservation status of Annex I Reefs. JNCC conservation statement provides the view that the overall condition of the site’s qualifying feature is in unfavourable condition and therefore needs to be restored to favourable condition.

Throughout this fisheries assessment the data from 2015 to 2019 is referred to as the current levels of activity. In Part A, fishing activities currently occurring within the site were screened and no fishing activity was found to occur which was considered relevant to the Annex I Reefs. Mid-water trawl was the only identified gear type occurring within the site and the pressures exerted from this pelagic gear were assessed against the sensitivities of the protected reef feature. Due to the pressures exerted from this gear and the lack of interaction with the seabed, no pressure-feature interactions were identified.

As no fishing activity was identified and assessed as having the potential to have a Likely Significant Effect (LSE) on the protected feature or adverse effect on site integrity, no further assessment (Part B & C) was undertaken.

Considering the management already within the site, and no fishing activity being present which could potentially have a significant effect on the protected feature, the assessment concluded that the current levels of fishing activity within the site will not result in an adverse effect on site integrity. However, acknowledging the presence of biogenic reef within the site and the associated sensitivities of the feature, management options are considered to mitigate potential for adverse effects on site integrity from future demersal mobile gear and static fishing activity.

Accordingly, Scottish Ministers are considering a full site exclusion to demersal mobile and demersal static gear to avoid any adverse effects on the Annex I reef.

This assessment has been updated and finalised following the statutory public consultation on the proposed management measures which took place between 19 August and 14 October 2024. The decision as to which management option is to be taken forward will be made taking into account the responses to this consultation and in the light of all relevant obligations incumbent upon the Scottish Ministers in relation to the exercise of their functions.