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Scottish MPA Fisheries Management Evidence Audit 2024

Abstract

This document sets out new evidence available on the designated features for each Marine Protected Area in Scotland's offshore waters.

The evidence base for some sites has remained the same since the Joint Recommendation process in 2017 (as part of the Common Fisheries Policy), whilst for other sites new evidence is now available. These sites are presented separately in this document. The original fisheries management proposals developed through the Joint Recommendations process are presented alongside evidence on the feature distributions. New evidence is mainly available from updated Annex I Reef habitat maps, new MPA monitoring survey data, the updated Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VME) database and the updated OSPAR threatened and/or declining database. Where this new evidence indicates that a change in the management proposal may be needed to ensure the conservation objectives for the designated features can be achieved, this has been documented with a supporting rationale.

Where changes to the proposed fisheries management measures are recommended, these will be discussed with stakeholders and this document is intended to support these discussions. When developing management measures, JNCC would advise that fisheries managers and stakeholders consider the levels of risk to the designated features where there are interactions with fishing activities.

This document was prepared in July 2022 and published in August 2024 to support the consultation on the Scottish MPA fisheries management measures.

This resource may not be fully accessible for all users. If you need a copy in a different or more accessible format, please contact Communications@jncc.gov.uk.

Resource type Publication

Topic category Environment

Reference date 2024·08·19

Lineage
This resource sets out evidence available on the designated features for each Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Scotland’s offshore waters since the Joint Recommendation process in 2017. It was prepared in July 2022 and published in August 2024.

Responsible organisation
Communications, JNCC author

Limitations on public access No limitations

Use constraints Available under the Open Government Licence 3.0

Metadata date 2024·08·19

Metadata point of contact
Communications, JNCC

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