Social Impacts Research for Marine Protected Areas and Priority Marine Features Management in Scottish Waters
This research informs the SEIA by improving understanding of the social values of coastal and island communities and how proposed marine management measures may affect them. It identifies community perceptions, potential social impacts, and key issues and concerns.
Footnotes
1 Scottish Government (2022). Marine Protected Area in inshore waters: guidance for undertaking Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (SEIA). 11 October 2022 [online] Available at: Marine Protected Areas in inshore waters: guidance for undertaking Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (accessed 18/10/2023)
2 Orr, P., Twigger-Ross, C. and Phillips, P. (2022) ‘Dialogue Report: A two-way conversation with the people of Scotland on the social impact of offshore renewables’. For Marine Scotland [online] Available at: Offshore renewables - social impact: two way conversation with the people of Scotland (accessed 18/10/2023)
3 Barra had initially been selected as the location for the Western Isles engagement and stakeholders had been contacted. However, the in-person engagement had to be moved to Stornoway because of logistical difficulties with visiting Barra.
4 Scottish Government (2022). Marine Protected Area in inshore waters: guidance for undertaking Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (SEIA). 11 October 2022 [online] Available at: Marine Protected Areas in inshore waters: guidance for undertaking Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (accessed 18/10/223)
5 For ease of reference in the rest of this report ”MPAs” refers to NCMPAs, SACs, and SPAs.
6 NatureScot (2020) Priority Marine Features in Scotland’s seas [online] Available at: Priority Marine Features in Scotland's seas - The List (accessed 18/10/2023)
7 Scottish Government (updated) Priority Marine Features [online] Available at: Scottish Government Priority Marine Features (accessed 20/11/2023)
8 S. 91 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 [online] Available at: Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 (accessed 18/10/2023)
9 Scottish Government (2022) Marine Protected Area in inshore waters: guidance for undertaking Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (SEIA) [online} Available at: Marine Protected Areas in inshore waters: guidance for undertaking Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (SEIA) (accessed 18/10/2023)
10 Scottish Government (2022). Marine Protected Areas in inshore waters: guidance for undertaking Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (SEIA). 11 October 2022 [online] Available at: Marine Protected Areas in inshore waters: guidance for undertaking Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (SEIA) (accessed 18/10/2023)
11 Orr, P., Twigger-Ross, C. and Phillips, P. (2022) Dialogue Report: A two-way conversation with the people of Scotland on the social impact of offshore renewables. For Marine Scotland. [online] Available at: Offshore renewables - social impact: two way conversation with the people of Scotland (accessed 18/10/2023)
12 Specific details of measures within the areas were not available (e.g., exact portions of sites where zoned measures would be put in place).
13 Note that at the first two locations (Peterhead and Lerwick) participants were asked to write their comments on the effects on post-its without any direction. It became clear that some direction was needed and posters with directing questions were added from the third location (Troon).
14 The online event was held because Barra had initially been selected as the location for the Western Isles engagement and stakeholders had been contacted. However, logistical difficulties made it impossible to visit Barra in the timeframe required and the in-person engagement had to be moved to Stornoway. There was no drop-in event in Barra.
15 124 participants attended the drop-in event and registered on entry. However, the staff at Lerwick Town Hall counted attendees to ensure compliance with safety instructions. According to them, 180 attended the event.
17 Aberdeenshire Council (2023) Peterhead Town Profile 2023 (op cit) [online] Available at: Aberdeenshire Council – Peterhead Town Profile 2023 (accessed 18/10/2023)
18 Scottish Government (2021). Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020 [online] Available at: Supporting documents - Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020 - gov.scot (accessed 18/10/2023)
19 Scottish Government (2021) Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020 [online] Available at Supporting documents - Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020 - gov.scot: (accessed 18/10/2023)
20 City Population (2021) [online] Available at: Scotland (United Kingdom): Localities in Council Areas - Population Statistics, Charts and Map (accessed 18/10/2023)
21 Scottish Government (2021). Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020 [online] Available at:
Supporting documents - Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020 - gov.scot (accessed 18/10/203)
22 City Population (2021) [online] Available at: Scotland (United Kingdom): Localities in Council Areas - Population Statistics, Charts and Map (accessed 18/10/2023)
23 Scottish Government (2021) Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020 [online] Available at:
Supporting documents - Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020 - gov.scot (accessed 18/10/2023)
24 statistics.gov.scot | Ullapool (accessed 18/10/2023)
25 City Population (2021) [online] Available at: Scotland (United Kingdom): Localities in Council Areas - Population Statistics, Charts and Map (accessed 18/10/2023)
26 Visit Outer Hebrides (2023) Stornoway [online] Available at: Stornoway - Outer Hebrides (accessed 18/10/2023)
27 Explore Scotland Network (2023) Isle of Lewis [online] Available at: Stornoway - Isle of Lewis (accessed 18/10/2023)
28 Scottish Government (2021). Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020 [online] Available at:
Supporting documents - Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2020 - gov.scot (accessed 18/10/2023)
29 Explore Scotland Network (2023) Isle of Lewis [online] Available at: Stornoway - Isle of Lewis (accessed 18/10/2023)
30 Barra airport (2023) Airport information [online] Available at:
Airport information for Barra Airport – About us - Highlands and Islands Airports Limited
(accessed 18/10/2023)
31 The Shetland Shellfish Management Organisation (SSMO) has the right to manage shellfish fisheries under the Shetland Islands Regulated Fishery (Scotland) Order 2012. That Order was made under the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967, which allows for the local management of fisheries through the granting of such regulating orders. The Marine Directorate will continue to work closely with the SSMO on development of policy that continues to support strong, sustainable management of these fisheries in the future.
32 Clyde Fishermen’s Association is an association which reflects the needs of fishermen and fishing reliant communities largely in the West of Scotland. Its membership is made up of 65 member vessels, representing both mobile and static vessels. Clyde Fisherman’s Association – Our Team
33 Throughout this report, references to survey, drop-in, and workshop will be referred to as S, DI, and W, respectively, with the location's first letter (e.g. T for Troon).
34 The South Arran MPA was designated in 2014. Further information about the site is available on NatureScot SiteLink [online] Available at: SiteLink – South Arran MPA (accessed 18/10/2023)
35 The participant was likely referring to the 2016 establishment of fisheries restrictions in Scottish Marine Protected Areas, including the Wester Ross Marine Conservation Order 2016.
36 For a fish farm to be developed, planning permission must be issued by the LPA, and they also have to obtain a lease from the Crown Estate Scotland, a marine licence for navigational safety, and a Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR) licence from SEPA.
37 A chandlery is a shop or business that sells supplies and gear for boats and ships
38A croft is a relatively small agricultural land holding, which is normally held in tenancy, and which may or may not have buildings or a house associated with it. It requires that tenants put the land to productive use. It is particular to Scotland’s highlands and islands and produces home-grown food.
39 During the time of the events a proposal for setting HPMAs in Scottish waters received high media and public attention and was under contestation. Before the workshops at the dop-ins, it was emphasised that the focus of the session was on MPAs specifically, and not HPMAs. However, participants' comments relating to MPAs may be equally applicable to HPMA considerations, and in some cases, participants may have confounded MPA proposals with HPMAs due to their prominence in the media at the time of the events.
40 Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (2023) Independent Fisheries Science Support Scheme (IFSSS) [online] Available at: Scottish Fishermen’s Federation website (accessed 18/10/2023)
41 Ross, Sutherland, Skye and Lochalsh Fisherman’s Association
42 In 1889, a limit was imposed stopping bottom trawlers from operating within 3 nautical miles of the Scottish shoreline. The ‘inshore limit’ was repealed in 1984.
43 Queen scallops
44 Orr, P., Twigger-Ross, C. and Phillips, P (2022) ‘Dialogue Report: A two-way conversation with the people of Scotland on the social impact of offshore renewables’. For Marine Scotland [online] Available at: Offshore renewables - social impact: two way conversation with the people of Scotland (accessed 18/10/2023)
46 Scottish sea fisheries statistics 2020: vessel employment tables. Table 42. Number of fishers employed on Scottish registered vessels by district (2020)
47 The Scottish Government core definition of rurality classifies areas with a population of fewer than 3,000 people to be rural. The rest of Scotland is classified as Urban Areas and Small Towns. It is recognised however that some areas, such as Oban, are more akin to rural areas.
48 Scottish Government (2023) Marine Directorate Information site. Maps shown at Scottish Government Social Research Events [online] Available at: Maps shown at Scottish Government Social Research Events (accessed 20/11/2023)
49 See more: SIMD Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020
Contact
Email: marine_biodiversity@gov.scot