The Scottish Government has released plans to offer added protection to Scotland’s marine biodiversity. Proposals to develop Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) have been launched.

Views are being sought on proposals that would make Scotland the first country in the world to designate at least 10% of its seas as Highly Protected Marine Areas.

HPMAs are designed to provide the highest environmental protection from activities such as fishing and aquaculture, as well as infrastructure developments such as new ports, harbours and offshore wind farms.

Consultation feedback will shape the creation of the HPMA network, which is a key Bute House Agreement and Programme for Government 2022/23 commitment.

Launching the plans during the COP15 Biodiversity Summit, Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “As we develop this landmark HPMA network consultation I would urge everyone with an interest in our precious marine environment, blue economy and coastal communities, to take part.”

“Scotland’s MPA network extends to over a third of our seas, and I am today setting out how we intend to go even further by designating at least 10% of our seas as Highly Protected Marine Areas – a world-leading commitment.

“Here in Scotland and across the world we are facing a biodiversity crisis and therefore we hope that other countries will match this ambition and commit to protect 30×30 at COP15.”

Flapper skate protection

Scottish Ministers have also announced their intention to permanently designate the Red Rocks and Longay Marine Protected Area (MPA) within the Inner Sounds of Skye – the largest nursery area for the critically endangered flapper skate. Legislation to permanently designate and provide protection for the Red Rocks and Longay MPA “will be introduced to parliament very soon”, Ministers said.

New MPAs elsewhere in the UK

At the end of November, the Welsh Government announced the commencement of the Welsh Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) designation pre-consultation engagement process. Following the publication of the expert led ‘Biodiversity Deep Dive’ – commissioned by Welsh Government to assess how nature recovery across land and sea can best be accelerated – the Minister has said she is “committed to taking steps to strengthen Wales’ Marine Protected Area (MPA) network”.

In England, a consultation on five pilot HPMAs closed on 28 September 2022. Responses and any additional evidence is being analysed by Defra against ecological, social, and economic criteria to provide an up-to-date assessment for each candidate HPMA. Defra will publish a summary of consultation responses in due course and will develop a full impact assessment after consultation. Ministers will then decide which sites to designate and will designate pilot HPMAs within a year of the start of the consultation.

Further information and resources:

A consultation on the proposals for HPMAs in Scotland will run until 20 March 2023 and can be found here.

An overview of the consultation by the Scottish Government can be read here.

A press release from NatureScot can be read here.

A press release from the Scottish Government can be read here.