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Publication - Factsheet

Fisheries Management Measures within Scottish Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) Management Areas - High level Site Summary Details and Potential Impacts of Proposed Fisheries Management Measures

Published
14 September 2026
From
Director of Marine
Directorate
Marine Directorate
Topic
Environment and climate change, Marine and fisheries
ISBN
9781806432943

Overview of site and area details and potential impacts of the proposed fisheries management measures within Scottish Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) management areas

Supporting documents

15. North East Scottish Marine Region MPAs

Due to the complexity and large number of areas and sites, ecosystem services data has been produced at a regional level, allowing for a more consistent assessment across wider geographical scales while still capturing key variations in ecological, social, and economic value.

Table 40: Estimated Ecosystem Service Impacts of proposed fisheries management measures (over 20 years) for North East Region

Total value of changes in ecosystem services

Option 1 Min

Option 1 Max

Option 2 Min

Option 2 Max

Benefits

Moderate

Moderate

Moderate

Moderate

Costs

Minimal

Low

Moderate

Potential to displace negative ES effects

Moderate

Net Impacts

Small Benefit

Small benefit

Neutral

Neutral

15.1. Site: Buchan Ness to Collieston Coast SPA

Protected features:

  • Fulmar - breeding
  • Guillemot - breeding
  • Herring gull - breeding
  • Kittiwake - breeding
  • Shag - breeding

Feature conditions:

  • Fulmar - Unfavourable
  • Guillemot - Favourable
  • Herring gull - Unfavourable
  • Kittiwake - Unfavourable
  • Shag - Unfavourable

Conservation objectives:

  • Fulmar - Restore
  • Guillemot - Maintain
  • Herring gull - Restore
  • Kittiwake - Restore
  • Shag - Restore

The proposed management measure for the Buchan Ness to Collieston Coast SPA is as follows:

Single Proposed Management Option:

  • Full site closure to longlines (until technical measures come into force), set nets (including fyke nets) and hydraulic dredge.

Figure 68. Map of measures proposed:

Map shows Buchan Ness to Collieston SPA, a long area just off the coast, between Buchan Ness and Collieston. The entire site is shallower than 65m, with the full area closed to hydraulic dredges, set nets (including fyke nets), and longlines (until technical measures come into force).

Full site closure to set nets (including fyke nets) is due to the presence and depths of protected species which between them utilise the entire site throughout the year (February till end of August in areas down to 177m, based on presence and maximum dive depth of guillemot, and from September till end of January in areas down to 65m, based on presence and maximum dive depth for shag).

A full site level of protection from the specified gear has been identified as the only suitable option in enabling the achievement of the desired level of protection for the feature in question.

Overlapping sites included in this consultation

This SPA overlaps with the Ythan Estuary, Sands of Forvie and Meikle Loch SPA.

Estimated Socio-economic impacts of proposed measures for Buchan Ness to Collieston Coast SPA

No socio-economic impacts are anticipated for this site, based on available data in relation to:

  • Average annual loss in value of landings (£000s, 2022 prices)
  • Direct + indirect reduction in GVA (PV) impact (£000s) 20 years
  • Average (mean) number of direct + indirect jobs (year on year, over 20 years), Full Time Equivalents
Table 41: Estimated Environmental impacts of proposed fisheries management measures for Buchan Ness to Collieston Coast SPA

Environmental Impact

Single Proposed Management Option

Benefits within the sites/areas

Moderate beneficial

Spill over benefits

None

Displacement effects

None

Effects from other gear types

None

Estimated overall environmental impact

Benefit

15.2. Site: Fowlsheugh SPA

  • Fulmar - breeding
  • Guillemot - breeding
  • Herring gull - breeding
  • Kittiwake - breeding
  • Razorbill - breeding

Feature conditions:

  • Fulmar - Unfavourable
  • Guillemot - Favourable
  • Herring gull - Unfavourable
  • Kittiwake - Unfavourable
  • Razorbill - Favourable

Conservation objectives:

  • Fulmar - Restore
  • Guillemot - Maintain
  • Herring gull - Restore
  • Kittiwake - Restore
  • Razorbill - Maintain

The proposed management measures for the Fowlsheugh SPA are as follows:

Option 1:

  • Set nets (including fyke nets) prohibited from February till end of August in areas down to 177m based on presence and maximum dive depth for guillemot.
  • Full site closure to longlines (until technical measures come into force) and hydraulic dredge.

Figure 69. Map of measures proposed under option 1:

Map shows Fowlsheugh SPA, an area extending outwards from an area of coast south of Stonehaven, between Catterline and Old Hall Bay (south of Dunnottar Castle). Throughout the area set nets (including fyke nets) are prohibited February till end of August, while longlines (until technical measures come into force) and hydraulic dredges are prohibited year round.

Option 2:

  • Full site closure to longlines (until technical measures come into force), set nets (including fyke nets) and hydraulic dredge.

Figure 70. Map of measures proposed under option 2:

Map shows Fowlsheugh SPA, an area extending outwards from an area of coast south of Stonehaven, between Catterline and Old Hall Bay (south of Dunnottar Castle). Throughout the area set nets (including fyke nets). longlines (until technical measures come into force), and hydraulic dredges are prohibited year round.

Estimated Socio-economic impacts of proposed measures for Fowlsheugh SPA

No socio-economic impacts are anticipated for this site, based on available data in relation to:

  • Average annual loss in value of landings (£000s, 2022 prices)
  • Direct + indirect reduction in GVA (PV) impact (£000s) 20 years
  • Average (mean) number of direct + indirect jobs (year on year, over 20 years), Full Time Equivalents
Table 42: Estimated Environmental impacts of proposed fisheries management measures for Fowlsheugh SPA

Environmental Impact

Option 1

Option 2

Benefits within the sites/areas

Moderate beneficial

Moderate beneficial

Spill over benefits

None

None

Displacement effects

None

None

Effects from other gear types

None

None

Estimated overall environmental impact

Benefit

Benefit

15.3. Site: Ythan Estuary, Sands of Forvie and Meikle Loch SPA

Protected features:

  • Redshank - non-breeding
  • Common tern - breeding
  • Eider - non-breeding
  • Lapwing - non-breeding
  • Little tern - breeding
  • Pink-footed goose - non-breeding
  • Sandwich tern – breeding

Pink-footed goose, lapwing and redshank are not discussed further as they are not a protected feature for which fisheries management measures are required.

Feature conditions:

  • Common tern - Favourable
  • Eider - Unfavourable
  • Little tern - Favourable
  • Sandwich tern - Favourable

Conservation objectives:

  • Common tern - Maintain
  • Eider - Restore
  • Little tern - Maintain
  • Sandwich tern - Maintain

The proposed management measure for the Ythan Estuary, Sands of Forvie and Meikle Loch SPA is as follows:

Single Proposed Management Option:

  • Full site closure to set nets (including fyke nets) in areas down to 60m based on the presence and maximum dive depth for eider, and hydraulic dredge. Presence and maximum dive depths of protected species cover the entire site throughout the year
  • Longlines (until technical measures come into force) prohibited in part of the site from the overlapping measures from the Buchan Ness to Collieston Coast SPA.

Figure 71. Map of measures proposed:

Map shows Ythan Estuary, Sands of Forvie and Meikle Loch SPA, an area extending northwards from Aberdeen as far as Cruden Bay and including the Ythan Estuary. Throughout the site set nets (including fyke nets) and hydraulic dredges are prohibited. In the norther part of the site there is an overlap with Buchan Ness to Collieston Coast SPA where longlines (until technical measures come into force) are prohibited.

A full site level of protection from the specified gear has been identified as the only suitable option in enabling the achievement of the desired level of protection for the feature in question.

Overlapping sites included In this consultation

This SPA overlaps with the Buchan Ness to Collieston Coast SPA.

Estimated Socio-economic impacts of proposed measures for Ythan Estuary, Sands of Forvie and Meikle Loch SPA

No socio-economic impacts are anticipated for this site, based on available data in relation to:

  • Average annual loss in value of landings (£000s, 2022 prices)
  • Direct + indirect reduction in GVA (PV) impact (£000s) 20 years
  • Average (mean) number of direct + indirect jobs (year on year, over 20 years), Full Time Equivalents
Table 43: Estimated Environmental impacts of proposed fisheries management measures for Ythan Estuary, Sands of Forvie and Meikle Loch SPA

Environmental Impact

Single Proposed Management Option

Benefits within the sites/areas

Moderate beneficial

Spill over benefits

None

Displacement effects

None

Effects from other gear types

None

Estimated overall environmental impact

Benefit

Contact

Email: marine_biodiversity@gov.scot

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