Historic Marine Protected Areas - designation proposals: consultation report

Question 2

We asked:

“Do you support the designation of Scapa Flow as a Historic Marine Protected Area?”

You said:

Fourteen responses specifically answered the question, with two not answering. Table 2 provides a summary of responses to the question.

Issues raised relating to question two are summarised below along with responses:

Issue

Designation would have a negative impact on potential for future renewable energy development, in particular adjacent to Churchill Barriers 1&2, and the laying of cables across Scapa Flow.

Response

Historic MPA status does not preclude future development. It is very unlikely that any one developer would wish to place any infrastructure at the wrecks anyway. There is ample space for appropriate siting of development and cable-routing adjacent to the proposed mosaic site, to avoid the wrecks. These matters can be adequately considered through environmental assessment and licensing procedures.

Issue

The wrecks may not have any artefacts of value and therefore did not merit Marine Protected Area status

Response

The proposal by Historic Environment Scotland is based on an assessment using published selection guidance^[1]. This has concluded that the marine historic assets within the proposed boundary meet the criterion of national importance required for designation of an historic MPA.

Issue

Support for designation was conditional on the site only being protected for its historic environment.

Response

The consultation proposed that the site was to be an historic MPA and that has never changed. At the time of the 2019 consultation, Scapa Flow was also under separate consideration for the protection of birds. The respondent engaged in a separate consultation process prior to the designation of the Scapa Flow Special Protection Area for a number of bird species.

Issue

Support for designation was conditional on the owner of some of the wrecks being able to receive relevant salvage permits and consents, and on transfer of ownership to an appropriate body to relieve the owner of any potential liability for the wrecks on the seabed.

Response

Noted. Opportunities to salvage items from the wrecks would need to be considered through the relevant licensing procedures.

Issue

Designation as an Historic MPA was an effective means to safeguard the nationally important historic environment assets in Scapa Flow.

Response

This was the basis for Historic Environment Scotland making the proposal.