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The distribution of selected MPA search features and Priority Marine Features off the NE coast of Scotland
Citation for published version: Hirst, NE, Clark, L & Sanderson, W 2012, The distribution of selected MPA search features and Priority Marine Features off the NE coast of Scotland. vol. 500, Scottish Natural Heritage.
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Download date: 04. Oct. 2021 Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 5IFEJTUSJCVUJPOPGTFMFDUFE.1"TFBSDI GFBUVSFTBOE1SJPSJUZ.BSJOF'FBUVSFTPGG UIF/&DPBTUPG4DPUMBOE
COMMISSIONED REPORT
Commissioned Report No. 500 The distribution of selected MPA search features and Priority Marine Features off the NE coast of Scotland
For further information on this report please contact:
Laura Clark Scottish Natural Heritage Great Glen House INVERNESS IV3 8NW Telephone: 01463-725 231 E-mail:[email protected]
This report should be quoted as:
Hirst, N.E., Clark, L. & Sanderson, W.G. (2012). The distribution of selected MPA search features and Priority Marine Features off the NE coast of Scotland. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No.500.132pp.
This report, or any part of it, should not be reproduced without the permission of Scottish Natural Heritage. This permission will not be withheld unreasonably. The views expressed by the author(s) of this report should not be taken as the views and policies of Scottish Natural Heritage.
© Scottish Natural Heritage 2012
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COMMISSIONED REPORT
Summary
The distribution of selected MPA search features and Priority Marine Features off the NE coast of Scotland
Commissioned Report No.: 500 Contractor: Heriot-Watt University Year of publication: 2012
Background To help target nature conservation action SNH and JNCC have generated a focused list of habitats and species of importance in Scottish waters - the Priority Marine Features (PMFs). Provisions to designate new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) within Scottish waters have recently been introduced through the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. A subset of the PMFs (MPA search features) will drive the identification of Nature Conservation MPAs.
Two areas located on the north-east coast of Scotland were identified for survey due to records of MPA search features. The first of these areas is located just off Noss Head near Sinclair’s Bay. The second is located within the outer area of the Moray Firth known as the Southern Trench.
The purpose of this study was to confirm the presence of a horse mussel bed, Modiolus modiolus, in the survey area off Noss Head and to determine if any other PMFs / MPA search features were also present. Sampling stations were also targeted in and around the shelf deep area of the Southern Trench to again identify the presence of any PMFs / MPA search features such as burrowed mud biotopes and ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) communities.
Main findings A total of 17 biotopes were recorded in 2011 within the Noss Head and Southern Trench survey areas using both drop down video and grab sample apparatus.