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Marine Nature Conservation Review: Sector 1. Shetland: Area summaries 1999

Abstract

The Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) began in 1987. Its aim was to provide information describing the marine habitats, communities and species around Great Britain. This was collected in such a way as to underpin the development of management systems for marine nature conservation and to support the identification of marine protected areas.

In this volume (MNCR Sector 1) the coastline of Shetland has been studied. The studies included field surveys of the shores and nearshore subtidal zone to describe the marine habitats and communities (together referred to as biotopes) present and to assess their marine natural heritage importance. Comparable data from other organisations have been added to provide information on 739 sites within Sector 1, and analysed to classify the biotopes present. These data have enabled 162 marine biotopes to be identified from Sector 1. Information on the designated nature conservation sites and main human activities has also been compiled. The information is presented as 32 area summaries.

Each area covers a marine inlet (such as an estuary, sealoch or lagoon) or stretch of open coast and gives details of its physical and biological character, the habitats present (according to the national habitat classification), current nature conservation designations, the main human influences and relevant literature. Maps show the sites surveyed and the distribution of each habitat. A summary of the habitats present in each area and a list of species recorded are given.

Please note that this resource has been produced from a scan of an original document. You may therefore experience fluctuations in quality and large file sizes.

Due to the file size of the volume, it is divided into the following parts:

  • Part 1: Prelims, Introduction & Area summaries 1 (Unst (north and west)) to 9 (Whalsay).
  • Part 2: Area summaries 10 (Dury Voe) to 19 (Whiteness, Stromness, Weisdale and Sandsound).
  • Part 3: Area summaries 20 (Reawick to Quilva Taing) to 29 (Sullom Voe).
  • Part 4: Area summaries 30 (Whale Firth and Yell (north-west)) to 32 (Fair Isle) & Appendices A to C.

Resource type Publication

Topic category Environment

Reference date 1999··

Citation
Howson, C.M. 1999. Marine Nature Conservation Review: Sector 1. Shetland: area summaries (Coasts and seas of the United Kingdom. MNCR series). JNCC, Peterborough, ISBN 1 86107 474 3.

Lineage
This volume forms part the Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR), which commenced in 1987 under the Nature Conservancy Council and continued in 1991 under JNCC until 2005.

Responsible organisation
Communications, JNCC publisher

Limitations on public access No limitations

Use constraints Available under the Open Government Licence 3.0

Metadata date 2023·06·02

Metadata point of contact
Communications, JNCC

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