Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (MPA)
Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can be designated by Scottish Ministers under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. The boundaries of the designated Nature Conservation MPAs provided in this dataset represent the final recommendations within both the 12 nautical mile Territorial Sea limit (on the basis of advice provided by Scottish Natural Heritage - the Scottish Government's adviser on all aspects of nature and landscape across Scotland) and in the UK offshore waters adjacent to Scotland (on the basis of advice provided by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee- the statutory adviser to UK Government and devolved administrations on UK-wide and international nature conservation). A suite of 30 Nature Conservation MPAs (MPAs) were designated by Scottish Ministers on the 24th July, 2014. A further site West of Scotland MPAmanaged by JNCC was designated by ministers on 25th September 2020. Four additional Nature Conservation MPAs were designated by Scottish Ministers on the3rd December 2020. Red Rocks and Longay (Urgent ncMPA) was designated by Scottish Ministers on the10th March 2021 The following URLs provide links to the consultation process websites: www.snh.gov.uk/mpa-consultation, www.jncc.defra.gov.uk/scottish-mpa-consultation and www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/marine-consultation.
dataset
https://gateway.snh.gov.uk/natural-spaces/download?dsid=44&fmt=shp
protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link
name: SNH Natural Spaces
description: ESRI Shapefile format
function: download
https://gateway.snh.gov.uk/natural-spaces/download?dsid=44&fmt=gml
protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link
name: SNH Natural Spaces
description: GML 3.1 format
function: download
https://gateway.snh.gov.uk/natural-spaces/download?dsid=44&fmt=mif
protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link
name: SNH Natural Spaces
description: MapInfo MIF format
function: download
GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-000240
http://www.snh.gov.uk/publications-data-and-research/snhi-information-service/naturalspaces/
eng
urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326
biota
publication
2008-06-01
revision
2009-11-16
creation
2012-02-14
creation
2012-05-25
-16.65
1.8464
63.8871
55.00
revision
2010-01-01
water column
creation
2009-06-18
Irish Sea
creation
2009-06-18
Southern North Sea
creation
2009-06-18
Northern North Sea
creation
2009-06-18
Minches & Western Scotland
creation
2009-06-18
Scottish Continental Shelf
creation
2009-06-18
Rockall Trough & Bank
creation
2009-06-18
Faroe-Shetland Channel
creation
2009-06-18
Atlantic North West Approaches
creation
1954-01-01
Irish Sea and St. George's Channel
creation
1954-01-01
North Atlantic Ocean
creation
1954-01-01
North Sea
revision
2010-01-01
water column
2013-07-01
2020-12-03
publication
2013-07-01
creation
2013-07-01
revision
2021-03-10
asNeeded
Background: Completion of a network of areas to protect biodiversity and geodiversity interests in the seas around Scotland will contribute to the delivery of a number of international and European commitments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the OSPAR Convention which call for the development of an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas. The EC Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) reinforces these commitments by stating that Member States' Programmes of Measures to achieve Good Environment Status (GES) shall contribute to 'coherent and representative networks of MPAs'.\\n Thirty-three possible Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (pMPAs) around Scotland (17 within territorial waters and 16 in offshore waters) were put out for consultation by Scottish Ministers on 25th July 2013. Additionally this dataset contains the boundaries of four Marine Protected Area search locations yet to be assessed fully against the Scottish MPA Selection Guidelines; where further research is pending before SNH provide formal advice to Scottish Ministers on these areas.\\n Designating Authority in Scotland: Scottish Ministers.\\n Role of SNH and JNCC: act as the advisors to Scottish Government in proposing selected sites for Ministerial approval as possible MPAs. SNH and JNCC then support the consultation over proposed sites with owners, occupiers, planning authorities and other interested parties on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. \\n Boundary definition process: The pMPA boundaries in the dataset have been subjected to a boundary setting exercise; this will be completed for the 4 MPA search locations if their status were to change to possible MPAs.\\n Boundary definition:\\n - Is normally based on OS Mastermap Mean Low water Springs (MLWS) or Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) dependent on proposed protected feature composition;\\n - Excludes significant coastal infrastructure;\\n - Follows the boundaries of existing protected areas for consistency and where appropriate (to simplify any future management discussions should the possible MPAs progress);\\n - For sites where black guillemots are a feature, the boundary of the possible MPA follows the natural break between the marine and terrestrial environment (i.e. the top of cliffs or back of storm beach/ rocky shores) and unless the presence of other features dictates otherwise, the seaward boundary extends 2 km from MLWS or to a maximum depth of 50 m.\\n Additionally each pMPA boundary has been assigned a Reference code (Ref - equivalent to a Protected Area code, PA_code)
publication
2008-12-19
true
Believed to be conformant
You must always use the following attribution statement: © Crown Copyright, 2015. All rights reserved. License No. EK001-20140401. Not to be used for Navigation.
copyright, licence
MPA Network Planner - UK Offshore Area
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) - Aberdeen Office
Inverdee House, Baxter Street
Aberdeen
AB11 9QA
+44 (0)1224 266550
+44 (0)1224-896170
Oliver.Crawford-Avis@jncc.gov.uk
originator
Marine Data Officer
Scottish Natural Heritage
Great Glen House, Leachkin Road
Inverness
IV3 8NW
01463 725000
originator
MPA Network Planner - UK Offshore Area
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) - Aberdeen Office
Inverdee House, Baxter Street
Aberdeen
AB11 9QA
+44 (0)1224 266550
+44 (0)1224-896170
Oliver.Crawford-Avis@jncc.gov.uk
custodian
Marine Data Officer
Scottish Natural Heritage
Great Glen House, Leachkin Road
Inverness
IV3 8NW
01463 725000
custodian
MPA Network Planner - UK Offshore Area
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) - Aberdeen Office
Inverdee House, Baxter Street
Aberdeen
AB11 9QA
+44 (0)1224 266550
+44 (0)1224-896170
Oliver.Crawford-Avis@jncc.gov.uk
pointOfContact
Marine Data Officer
Scottish Natural Heritage
Great Glen House, Leachkin Road
Inverness
IV3 8NW
01463 725000
pointOfContact
2021-03-11