Queen of Sweden Historic Marine Protected Area - designation proposal: final business and regulatory impact assessment – 18 July 2025

Section 5: Next steps and implementation

Recommendations/preferred options

Option 2: designate the site as a Historic MPA.

This is the preferred option as HES’ review of the information relating to the historic wreck, Queen of Sweden has concluded that the site meets the criterion of national importance to merit statutory protection and that it is desirable to take forward designation as a Historic MPA.

Designation provides implementation of the policy legislated for by the Scottish Parliament under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. It contributes to the objective of establishing a well-managed group of Historic MPAs in the seas around Scotland to help protect Scotland’s most important marine historic assets in such a way that they can be valued and enjoyed. Protection is achieved by virtue of a single system for MPAs to protect Scotland’s outstanding marine natural and cultural heritage that is aligned with the new marine planning/licensing system. This option delivers additional controls in respect of activities, such as salvage, that may continue to be targeted at this site.

Implementation considerations/plan

Following the detailed programme of stakeholder engagement and the consultations undertaken by both HES and the Scottish Government, the proposed designation of the Queen of Sweden Historic MPA is expected to take effect on 1 November 2025.

Publication and notification procedures set out in section 75 and 76 of the 2010 Act will ensure that persons likely to be affected by the designation will be made aware of the resulting course of action.

Following designation, public authorities are required to adhere to the duties set out in the 2010 Act in relation to Historic MPAs (see sections 82-84).

Post implementation review

HES will keep the designation and its implications under review in line with the risk based approach to monitoring set out in line with the Scottish MPA Monitoring Strategy ¹ and propose amendments if and when appropriate.