Fisheries Management Measures within Scottish Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) Management Areas - Site and Area Proposal Document

18. PMF Management Areas

18.1 Background

As part of Scottish Ministers commitment to implementing management measures for fishing activity in key biodiversity locations outside the MPA network, Marine Directorate (MD) originally developed PMF illustrative management zones in December 2018. These zones were then developed further (as PMF management areas) in 2019/2020 during ongoing discussions with NatureScot and stakeholders alongside a set of principles for defining the PMF management areas.

This work is part of the ongoing project ‘Improving protection given to Priority Marine Features outside the Marine Protected Area network’ that was delayed due to Covid after the 2019 SEA scoping consultation report.

A summary of NatureScot advice for the PMF management areas since 2018 has been published and takes into account new biodiversity evidence data obtained since 2018 until March 2024, when statutory assessments were begun by Marine Directorate. NatureScot advice has informed the development of proposed PMF management areas for the consultation to ensure that they are underpinned by appropriate evidence.

Eleven PMFs are being considered as part of this process and a description of each of these features, and the rationale for improved protection is provided in NatureScot’s individual PMF advice documents:

1. Blue mussel beds

2. Cold-water coral reefs

3. Fan mussel aggregations

4. Flame shell beds

5. Horse mussel beds

6. Maerl beds

7. Maerl or coarse shell gravel with burrowing sea cucumbers

8. Native oysters

9. Northern sea fan and sponge communities

10. Seagrass beds

11. Serpulid aggregations

These PMF advice documents also provide information on feature distribution, sensitivity, status, ecosystem services (benefits they provide), existing protection within the MPA network and key locations to consider for spatial protection outside of the MPA network.

18.2 Area boundaries and policy process

Draft PMF management areas were considered using the key locations identified in NatureScot’s PMF advice. These locations were then refined using a set of principles and, assumptions developed jointly by Marine Directorate and NatureScot, which include (amongst others):

Assumptions:

• making use of best available information, this is not a MPA process, and in most instances there is not sufficient data to map extent of PMFs.
• records from 1980s/90s can inform PMF identification, but before this should only provide context.
• PMF management areas are a proactive preventative measure, but can also support habitat recovery.

Initial boundary shaping principles:

• presence and distribution of the 11 sensitive PMFs
• areas that support multiple records
• areas that reflect the full range of environmental conditions the PMF can be found in
• boundaries that are defined by the physical requirements of the feature e.g. maximum depth limits for maerl beds
• accessibility of fishers to PMFs, given depth, topography etc.

Final boundary shaping principles:

• distribution of existing fishing activities
• overlaps of other fisheries restrictions
• use of buffers appropriate to PMF distribution and depth
• use of straight lines away from coast where possible

Any further refinements were made, where possible, using valuable input from stakeholders in the form of e.g. additional PMF data, fishing knowledge and data. Marine Directorate considered stakeholder additional information, NatureScot advice, and compliance considerations, alongside the principles to provide a series of proposed PMF management areas that support the policy aims as outlined in Scottland’s NMP.

18.3 Proposed fisheries management measures

All proposed PMF management areas will prohibit all demersal mobile fishing gear across the entire area. Proposed PMF management areas do not have zonal restrictions. For 46 of the 90 proposed PMF management areas there are two options presented, Option 1 and Option 2. Option 1 is a defined area with PMFs that meet the policy requirements and Option 2 is a larger area that for example offers more for improved PMF protection and may include additional areas of potentially suitable habitat for PMFs, or where more simple boundary lines have been applied. For areas where only one option was identified. This is due to one of, or a combination of, available evidence (fishing activity or PMF data), boundary setting principles and compliance considerations.