Introduction
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are designated spaces of the ocean and seas where human activities are regulated to protect natural resources and biodiversity. These areas are well-evidenced conservation tools to preserve marine species and habitats and enhance the resilience of marine ecosystems against threats such as climate change and overfishing. Scotland, like many countries, is committed to protecting at least 30% of its land and sea area by 2030, commonly shortened to “30 by 30”.
On 19th December 2024, the Scottish Government published its statutory report to parliament on Scotland’s inshore and offshore MPAs, which is required every 6 years. This report is a respective requirement of Section 103 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and section 124 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
Progress welcomed
LINK members welcome the publication of the report to Parliament. The 2024 report considers the entire MPA network (including sites formerly designated under EU law, such as Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas), which builds on the 2018 edition.
Progress is welcome regarding the designation of sites. In 2018, Scotland had a network of 217 MPAs, but it now comprises a total of 233 sites.
In 2020 the Scottish Government designated four inshore MPAs for mobile species and 12 Special Protection Areas (SPA) for marine birds and seabirds. In 2022 theNorth Orkney and Scapa Flow SPAs were also designated. The same year, LINK members welcomed the permanent designation of the Red Rocks and Longay MPA to protect a newly discovered and extremely rare nursery ground for hundreds of flapper skate eggs,a critically endangered relative of sharks and rays.
Most importantly, the 2024 report to Parliament provides case studies showing localised positive effects on priority marine features (PMFs). In Loch Carron, designated as an “emergency” MPA in 2017 and made permanent in 2018, the flame shell beds that were damaged by scallop dredge activity are showing promising signs of recovery. This incident underscores the importance of proactively protecting vulnerable marine features before damage is done. The Loch Sunart to the Sound of Jura MPA for flapper skate exemplifies the benefits of restrictions on bottom-towed fishing. Monitoring of the site shows an increase in the abundance of flapper skates following the introduction of fishing restrictions in 2016. This case demonstrates the benefits of spatial management measures for mobile species, essential to safeguard populations of long-lived, slow-growing species such as flapper skate. LINK members particularly welcome the role of citizen science, such as recreational angling groups, and community engagement in the management and monitoring of the Loch Sunart to the Sound of Jura MPA.
New designations alone will not ensure the recovery of our seas.
In a report published in 2023, Professor James Harrison, an expert in marine environmental law from the University of Edinburgh, highlighted critical gaps in Scotland’s MPA network, both in terms of designations and the management measures that still need to be implemented.
Despite having a network of MPAs encompassing 38% of its seas, the majority of Scotland’s MPAs do not have restrictions in place for some of the most damaging or widespread pressures in the sea. The Scottish Government has committed to deliver a public consultation on fisheries management measures within MPAs and on the protection of Priority Marine Features (PMFs) outside MPAs. However, this commitment has repeatedly been delayed. A consultation on the fisheries management measures in offshore MPAs was published in 2024, 10 years after the designation of the first Scottish sites. Marine stakeholders and communities are still awaiting its counterpart on the remaining inshore MPA sites and the protection of vulnerable seabed habitat PMFs outside MPAs.
Since the start of the process to develop fisheries management measures for MPAs, they have been implemented in only a few inshore sites, covering less than 0.6% of the seabed that has been historically subject to bottom-towed fishing activities. This underscores that current safeguards for our MPAs aren’t likely to make a big difference in reducing the amount of fishing activity that harms the seabed habitats and the species that depend upon them.
Professor Harrison’s report highlights the need for comprehensive revisions and enhancements to align with international best practices. A more detailed briefing on this report is available here.
Following the shelved proposals to designate Highly Protected Marine Areas in 10% of Scotland’s seas in 2023, LINK members welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment to build greater consensus and its stress on the need to deliver on ecological outcomes. However, clarity on how the Scottish Government intends to align with international commitments and benchmarks is still needed, such as the Global Biodiversity Framework target 2 (“Restore 30% of all Degraded Ecosystems”) and EU Nature Restoration Law. The current scientific evidence base, which must underpin conservation measures, is clear that the biggest threats to marine ecosystems are climate change and unsustainable fishing practices. Implementing the remaining fisheries management measures within MPAs is just one step towards better protection of our seas, focusing on specific species and habitats in specific places based on proposals that were developed 8 years ago. The ocean is all connected and we need to acknowledge that in the way it is managed. We want to see a change in the way fisheries are managed beyond MPAs, as part of a just transition to a fully documented, climate-smart and nature-friendly regime that enables ecosystem recovery and supports sustainable fishing opportunities and coastal communities.
Conclusion
LINK members welcome the progress highlighted in the report to Parliament. However, much more is needed to ensure healthy and resilient marine ecosystems. Simply designating an MPA without putting in place restrictions on damaging activities is meaningless.
Calum Duncan, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the Marine Conservation Society and Convenor of Scottish Environment LINK’s Marine Group said:
“We’re pleased the report shows that measures to protect the most vulnerable inshore sites in 2016 are showing localised signs of working with, for example, increases in flameshells and flapper skate numbers. However, despite welcome action to protect the most vulnerable inshore sites in 2016, most designated areas still lack robust management measures for damaging activities such as bottom towed fishing, and remain ‘paper parks’ until they are in place.
“Scotland’s seas are in a poor state, and we desperately need to safeguard important underwater sites needed to boost ocean health. Further delays will only make recovery harder and risk further damage to our seas. In 2025, the Scottish Government must act decisively to deliver long-awaited protections and live up to crucial legal, policy and international commitments before it is too late.”
Image: Ben James, NatureScot