The Task Selection of Nature Conservation MPAs Nature Conservation MPAs will contribute to the protection of biodiversity and geodiversity Nature Conservation MPAs will be developed through a scientific process with involvement of stakeholders Data on MPA search features will underpin the selection of Nature Conservation MPAs Areas containing multiple features (both biodiversity and geodiversity) will be given priority

How will this be achieved? Application of MPA Selection Guidelines Five stage process based on distribution of important biodiversity and geodiversity features MPA selection guidelines available online at FOCUS OF TODAY Stage 1: presence of important features Stage 2: prioritisation of areas Stage 3: assessment of scale of area Stage 4: assessment of management & Stage 5: contribution to the network TOUCHED UPON TODAY

Stage 1 of the MPA selection guidelines Key questions we will try and answer today What do we need to know? What do we know already? What are the gaps in our knowledge? What is being done to fill these gaps? What happens next?

What do we need to know? Stage 1 - Presence of MPA search features What are the features? Where are the features? Stage 2 - Qualities of MPA search features Can areas that support multiple features (bio & geo) be identified using the geodatabase? What human activities are taking place within MPA regions that might affect MPA search features? FOCUS OF TODAY TOUCHED UPON IN THIS AFTERNOONS TALKS

What do we know already? Physical data Habitat & species data Collectively we know quite a lot …. ………… BUT THINGS ‘WE’ HAVE KNOWN FOR A WHILE

What do we know already? MPA search features split across scientific disciplines Knowledge-base is variable geographically and across taxonomic groups Data management and access issues Existing data did not necessarily align neatly to the Scottish MPA search features ………… so

What do we know already? Recent work to collate data for MPA work Defra-led datalayers project taken as starting point Subsequent SNH and JNCC research projects  Refined Defra geodiversity features & mapping  Added biodiversity features with a wider 3-pillar Scottish focus (PMFs)  Cleaned data & made more user-friendly

What do we know already? The Defra-led data layers project was a great start but it didn’t meet all our requirements … so we’ve tailored it to suit our needs

What do we know already?

Areas of greatest interest from a Geodiversity perspective

What do we know already? Scottish MPA search feature & Priority Marine Feature maps Atlantic white-sided dolphin Fan mussel Atrina fragilisOffshore deep sea muds Norway pout Trisopterus esmarkii © Crown Copyright - Defra - MB0102. © SNH. © JNCC. © MSS. © BGS. UK Limits provided by UKHO Law of the Sea Division. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number SNH

What do we know already? …already being used for other purposes e.g. State of Scotland’s Seas TIDE-SWEPT ALGAL COMMUNITIES OFFSHORE DEEP SEA MUD MINKE WHALE

What are the gaps in our knowledge? Geographic gaps in coverage of ecological data. A lot of the data on fragile seabed features are quite old and most records are limited in the areas they cover. Majority were not collected to define extent of features. Not yet using all known datasets for a number of key features. Additional work is needed to include these within geodatabase.

What is being done to fill the gaps? On-going data projects  Analysis of data from recent non-MPA research cruises  Analysis of MSS archive datasets  Analysis of SAMS offshore still photography  Re-analysis of SEA data e.g. Faroe-Shetland sponge belt

What is being done to fill the gaps? Engaging with other data holders / collectors  National stakeholder workshops Specialists allocated to ‘themes’ Identification of datasets not currently utilised Completion of metadata forms for relevant datasets Prioritised data capture and incorporation Update on data use following application of selection guidelines  Wider engagement Promotional materials, press releases, web pages Meetings and presentations to national organisations

What is being done to fill the gaps? A programme of new biological survey work  2010 surveys completed SNH benthic priorities identified in Commissioned Report no. 381 Contracted surveys - Sound of Canna, Ullapool Approaches and Clyde Sea Collaborative survey work with MSS & SEPA - Clyde Sea, Loch Sween Fair Isle & North IBTS  2011 survey planning underway Making best use of existing Scottish Government vessels Scope currently under discussion but will include work in offshore waters in the NW and outer Forth, within the Minch and off the NE coast of Scotland (Caithness and outer MF)

What is being done to fill the gaps? Refining large-scale feature definitions & mapping  Working with scientific community to better understand large-scale MPA search features and the role MPAs could play in their conservation of  Functional role, processes, prey species & mobile predators

What happens next? Today is the start of wider discussions over data & the selection of Nature Conservation MPAs Any datasets identified through the workshop will be prioritised for inclusion in the geodatabase SNH and JNCC currently identifying significant gaps in coverage of existing protected areas through considering the potential contribution of N2K and other spatial measures SNH and JNCC work underway to collate information on human activities and to determine regional risk for MPA search features JNCC-led work underway to identify areas that are ‘least damaged/more natural’ - Workshop 2 in June 2011

What happens next? Using all data available by 1 st July 2011 SNH and JNCC will identify broad search areas to address the MPA search feature conservation gaps - August st national application of the MPA selection guidelines, to areas that are ‘least damaged/more natural’ before being applied more broadly - completed by Sept. ’11 Follow-up workshop (no. 3) to discuss the results of the 1 st application of the Guidelines in October ’11 2 nd national application of the Guidelines and workshop (no. 4) by Oct. ’12 Identification of most of the individual MPA proposals and the overall shape & composition of the network - Nov. ‘12

What happens next? This afternoons session Consideration of available mapping by theme to identify data gaps - rotation between tables. Paper map and laptops with the data in a GIS. Capture of metadata The draft geodatabase Currently version 0.1. Contains 98% of the data we have collated. Structural changes to be made following the workshop with Ver. 1 due in April. Longer-term ambition to be able to release the mapping but copyright restrictions to be navigated because a lot of these data are not ours.

- Scottish waters - Territorial waters - Offshore waters