Proposed Fisheries Management Measures for Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) Management Areas – Consultation Paper

1. Introduction

The Scottish Government's vision for the marine environment is of clean, healthy, safe, productive and diverse seas; managed to meet the long-term needs of nature and people. To help achieve this and meet our statutory obligations, Scottish Ministers have committed to implementing fisheries management measures where it is considered appropriate to do so, where these are not already in place for existing MPAs, and for key biodiversity locations outwith the MPA network. Scottish Ministers intend to implement the appropriate fisheries management measures following the conclusion of this consultation process and after the appropriate parliamentary process have been undertaken.

This consultation seeks views and comments on options for fisheries management measures set out for 76 MPA sites and 90 proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) management areas. Views and comments are sought on the key draft documents which provide the rationale for the proposed fisheries management measures, as well as assessments of the potential impacts and benefits of these measures.

The term MPA is used to collectively refer to these Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (NCMPAs); Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). MPAs will also be referred to as “sites” and proposed PMF management areas as “areas”.

• NCMPAs are sites within the marine environment, designated under sections 67 and 68 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, aimed at conserving marine biodiversity, protecting vulnerable species, habitats, and geological features. The sites have been designated following MPA selection guidelines and assigned site specific conservation objectives.
• SACs - which are protected areas for habitats and species listed in the EU Habitats Directive, such as reefs and bottlenose dolphin.
• SPAs - which are protected areas for wild birds listed in the EU Wild Birds Directive, or for regularly occurring migratory species.