Developing the least damaged/more natural data layer Least damaged/more natural workshop Pete Chaniotis Joint Nature Conservation Committee

What is ‘least damaged/more natural’? A policy approach from Sustainable Seas for All Scottish MPA Selection Guidelines will be applied to least damaged/more natural areas first before being applied more widely –Identification of areas containing features which are potentially in better condition –Identifying opportunities in areas of least activity

How was the least damaged/more natural layer developed? Features are sensitive to pressures that may be associated with activities Need to know: –The degree to which MPA search features are sensitive to pressures –Which activities may be associated with those pressures

Collation of marine activities data to provide information on the extent of pressures occurring in Scotland’s seas: Range of sources: –Defra-led contract ‘MB106’ –JNCC data verification work –State of Scotland’s Seas How was the least damaged/more natural layer developed?

Assigning physical extent/pressure footprints to marine activities data –Effects of activities may extend beyond the area over which they are undertaken Not possible in all cases: –Marinas, ports and harbours, coastal quarrying sites, beach replenishment sites, munitions dumping ground points, power stations Represents activities currently taking place in Scotland’s seas Interpreted within the context of future interest areas How was the least damaged/more natural layer developed?

Methodology

Principles Areas of approximately one grid cell or less were generally removed Areas which overlapped with known existing activity not incorporated into the production of the layer were generally removed Intertidal areas/thin coastal strips removed due to scale/data resolution issues Removal of areas which were heavily divided, e.g. subdivisions of some sea lochs by fishing activity/parts of the North Sea by oil and gas activity Larger, offshore areas subdivided using large scale units or common bathymetry

Mersehead Sands and Outer Solway Firth Wigtown Bay

East Orkney Norwegian boundary sediment plain Montrose Field East of Gannet Field Greater & Lesser East of Marr & Montrose Bank St Andrews Bay & Eden Estuary

Faroe-Shetland Channel North Orkney to Fair Isle North-east of Fair Isle Waters around Roussay Inshore South Isles - Orkney

Loch Sween Loch Nevis & Loch Hourn Loch Long & Loch Duich Loch Carron Loch Torridon Loch Tarbert Lochs a Chairn Bhairn, Glencoul & Glendhu

West MPA Region (islands and offshore) Stanton Banks to South West St Kilda Between Monach Islands and St Kilda West of Outer Hebrides North West Islay & Laggan Bay East of Benbecula & North Uist North West Tiree inc. Skerrymore

Darwin Mounds Rockall Basin Anton Dohrn Seamount North West Rockall Bank Sediment plain North of George Bligh Bank Hatton-Rockall Basin Hatton Bank Far West Approaches

Limitations and caveats The data –Recognised gaps –Represents a snapshot of where and how Scotland’s seas are being used –High-level assessment as opposed to something more detailed The method –Intensity at which activities occur not considered –Cumulative effects not considered

- Scottish waters - Territorial waters - Offshore waters