Marine Protected Areas consultation – a collaborative process

The Marine (Scotland) Act (2010) requires Scottish Ministers to take the necessary action to protect and, where appropriate, enhance the health of Scotland’s seas; to develop a national marine plan that includes marine ecosystem objectives and establish a network of well-managed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Before the process commenced in Scotland there were discussions with JNCC (Joint Nature Conservation Council, adviser to the United Kingdom Government on nature conservation issues), SNH (Scottish Natural Heritage) and Marine Scotland as to priority features to initially protect. South Arran MPA is designated for its diversity of animals and plants including maerl beds, kelp and seaweed communities and possibly the largest seagrass bed in the Clyde; this MPA protects some of Scotland’s most important and productive seabed habitats.

Conservation Objectives? The aim is to allow the maerl beds to regenerate and to conserve other valuable, protected features of the South Arran MPA. So what are the Protected Features? Burrowed mud; kelp and seaweed communities on sublittoral sediments; maerl beds; maerl or coarse shell gravel with burrowing sea cucumbers; ocean quahog aggregations; seagrass beds; shallow tide-swept coarse sands with burrowing bivalves.

The proposal was not drafted by COAST alone.  Without the investment in fresh survey work by Marine Scotland and SNH it is doubted the proposal would have made it through the selection guidelines for all the features noted above.

There was also significant work to get other stakeholders, including fishermen, to accept the MPA too. This has been a massive shift from their initial combative position.  Significant management measures will also be required. So this is a first step, rather than finality of marine conservation around Arran. But it is a positive start. Many are voicing critical comments about what is so far proposed by the Scottish Government. However I say let us applaud the fact that through research in the no take zone and the south of Arran by University of York, Marine Conservation Society with Seasearch, SNH, Marine Scotland, University of Glasgow and COAST over several years, we are collectively achieving a positive outcome! These are first steps in the process. Discussions will take place on burrowed mud later in the spring, and that will also concern bottom trawling and bottom dredging. Management measures, effort control and compliance will follow by 2016.

At the Coastal Futures Conference in London in January 2015, David Mallon, Head of Marine Environment at Marine Scotland talked of the partnership of Marine Scotland, SNH, JNCC, Historic Scotland, SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) plus the public including NGOs and fisheries, which has made progress possible to date. The Scottish Inshore and Offshore Zone covers 61% of UK waters. Science led research to deliver national and international guidelines, based on the OSPAR convention is being achieved. Stakeholder engagement included five national workshops. Since November 2014, 56 locations have been visited for consultation meetings all around Scotland.

It was clear from the outset that the MPAs in Scotland would need to be based on scientific evidence. By the end of 2016 there will be a developed management plan for each site to include a review of fishing in inshore MPAs and SACs (Special Conservation Areas).

The process is illustrated below. We are now at the consultation stage. The implementation follows and it is at this stage that effort control, gear control and seasonal controls will be discussed.

THE PROCESS

David Mallon talked about the process in developing the MPAs and the lessons learned which come down to this:

• Know your audience
• Being clear about what you want
• People value early engagement
• Being clear how people can engage
• Being flexible and transparent
• Maintaining communication
• Engagement to support formal engagement

Clyde2020 – a new vision for the Firth of Clyde Ecosystem was also discussed by David at Coastal Futures. It is aiming towards bringing together divided opinions and the Clyde2020 summit looked at an ultimate vision, the gaps in knowledge and what research and practical actions need to be taken. The selected high level marine objectives are:

• Achieving a sustainable marine economy
• Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society
• Living within environmental limits
• Promoting good governance
• Using sound science responsibly

Isabel Glasgow, chair of Clyde Forum talked of the steering group to be formed and that data is the key to a successful group. She finished by saying “We need to get beyond hopelessness and indeed the obituary of the Clyde”.

Sally Campbell
February 2015