Scotland's shellfish water protected area (SWPA) designations - review: consultation

10. Potential sites for de-designation of existing SWPAs

The initial review identified 29 existing SWPAs that met the criteria for proposed de-designation i.e. sites where there has been no production of shellfish for three consecutive years.

The initial review gathered feedback from the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers, SEPA and Scottish Water on the potential impacts of any proposed de-designations and further feedback on these is welcomed. Maps illustrating the boundaries of the proposed new designations and expansion are available in the following links.

The existing sites identified for potential de-designation are:

• SWPA 1: Ardtoe and Loch Ceann Traigh
• SWPA 4: Bay of Firth
• SWPA 5: Broadford Bay and Kyle Area
• SWPA 7: Cais-bhaigh, Enard Bay
• SWPA 11: Cromarty Bay
• SWPA 12: Dales Voe
• SWPA 13: Dornoch Firth
• SWPA 19: Hawksness
• SWPA 23: Kyles of Bute
• SWPA 28: Loch Ainort
• SWPA 31: Loch Caroy
• SWPA 35: Loch Eriboll
• SWPA 37: Loch Etive
• SWPA 38: Loch Ewe
• SWPA 44: Loch Kishorn
• SWPA 48: Loch Long
• SWPA 49: Loch Melfort SWPA 51: Loch Nevis
• SWPA 53: Loch Scridain
• SWPA 55: Loch Slapin
• SWPA 56: Loch Sligachan
• SWPA 57: Loch Snizort
• SWPA 59: Loch Stockinish
• SWPA 66: North Uist
• SWPA 67: Ronas Voe Area
• SWPA 73: Sound of Kerrera
• SWPA 74: South Uist
• SWPA 75: South Wick, Cullivoe
• SWPA 83: West of Scalloway

We note that some areas proposed for de-designation are potentially used for spat collection. Spat are young, larval stage, shellfish that are collected and used to ‘seed’ production areas. The areas we are aware of that may be used for spat collection are:

• Dales Voe
• Hawksness
• Ronas Voe Area

Currently, spat collection is not considered in the methodology for the designation of SWPAs. Spat collection is not monitored by FSS and data on the quality of waters in SWPAs where only spat collection occurs is, therefore, not available to inform action through the SWPA process. We would, however, welcome any available evidence on the economic significance of spat collection activities for shellfish production.

We also note that there may be plans for businesses to expand into some of these areas in the future; this includes South Wick, Cullivoe; and West of Scalloway. We would welcome further details, particularly any evidence, on these and other plans for potential expansion to support consideration of the de-designation of these areas.