SNH Commissioned Reports (Nos
MPA search feature descriptions catalogue 14th and 15th March, 2012 Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh This report should be cited as: Tyler-Walters, H., James, B. (eds.), Wilding, C., Durkin, O., Lacey, C., Philpott, E., Adams, L., Chaniotis, P.D., Wilkes, P.T.V., Seeley, R., Neilly, M., Dargie, J. and Crawford-Avis, O.T. (2012). Descriptions of Marine Protected Area (MPA) search features. A report produced by MarLIN (Marine Life Information Network), SMRU Ltd., Scottish Natural Heritage and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, for the Scottish Marine Protected Areas Project. INTRODUCTION This report represents a descriptive catalogue of the MPA search features being used to underpin the identification of Nature Conservation MPAs in Scotland’s seas. Whilst derived from available existing accounts, the succinct 1-page descriptions are written from a Scottish perspective, refining, but clearly linking to more generic UK, EC or OSPAR (Oslo and Paris Commission) commentary. Available information on the geographic distribution of the features from GeMS is provided as a summary map in each description. The list comprises 21 broad habitats (e.g. burrowed mud), five low or limited mobility species (e.g. Iceland cyprine) and 10 mobile species, including fish (e.g. blue ling), marine mammals (e.g. minke whale) and black guillemot. Descriptions are also presented for five large-scale features considered to be of functional significance for the overall health of Scottish seas. Since publication of the Scottish MPA Selection Guidelines, European spiny lobster, burrowing sea anemone aggregations and heart cockle aggregations were removed as drivers in the identification of Nature Conservation MPAs.
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