Identification

Title

Possible Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (pMPA) within the 12 Nautical Mile Territorial Sea limit around Scotland.

Abstract

Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are designated by Scottish Ministers under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. These possible MPAs have been approved by Scottish Ministers for public consultation. As such, the locations are afforded policy protection as if they were designated. The boundaries of the possible MPAs presented in this dataset represent those being consulted upon within the 12 nautical mile Territorial Sea limit (on the basis of advice provided by Scottish Natural Heritage - the Scottish Government's adviser on all aspects of nature and landscape across Scotland). The following URLs provide links to the consultation process websites: www.snh.gov.uk/mpa-consultation and www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/marine-consultation Possible MPAs in offshore waters adjacent to Scotland (beyond the 12 nautical mile Territorial Sea limit) are also included in the consultation exercise. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee is the statutory adviser to the Scottish Government for offshore waters. The following URLs provide links to the relevant consultation process websites: www.jncc.defra.gov.uk/scottish-mpa-consultation and www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/marine-consultation

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-000240

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::27700

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

biota

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2008-01-06

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2009-11-16

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2012-02-14

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2012-05-25

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-8.2844

East bounding longitude

-0.7160

North bounding latitude

60.7954

South bounding latitude

54.9231

Extent

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Irish Sea

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Southern North Sea

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Northern North Sea

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Minches & Western Scotland

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Scottish Continental Shelf

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Rockall Trough & Bank

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Faroe-Shetland Channel

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Atlantic North West Approaches

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

1954-01-01

code identifying the extent

North Atlantic Ocean

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

1954-01-01

code identifying the extent

North Sea

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

effective date

code identifying the extent

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2013-07-01

End position

2013-07-01

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2013-07-01

date type

creation

effective date

2013-05-31

date type

revision

effective date

2013-05-31

Frequency of update

notPlanned

Quality and validity

Lineage

Background: Completion of a network of areas to protect biodiversity and geodiversity interests in the seas around Scotland will contribute to the delivery of a number of international and European commitments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the OSPAR Convention which call for the development of an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas. The EC Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) reinforces these commitments by stating that Member States' Programmes of Measures to achieve Good Environment Status (GES) shall contribute to 'coherent and representative networks of MPAs'. Thirty-three possible Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (pMPAs) around Scotland (17 within territorial waters and 16 in offshore waters) were put out for consultation by Scottish Ministers on (date to be inserted). This dataset reflects those within territorial waters. Designating Authority in Scotland: Scottish Ministers. Role of SNH: SNH acts as the advisor to Government in proposing selected sites for Ministerial approval as possible MPAs. SNH then supports the consultation over proposed sites with owners, occupiers, planning authorities and other interested parties on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. Boundary definition process: The boundaries in the dataset have been subjected to a boundary setting exercise to ensure boundary definition: - Is normally based on OS Mastermap Mean Low water Springs (MLWS) or Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) dependent on proposed protected feature composition; - Excludes significant coastal infrastructure; - Follows the boundaries of existing protected areas for consistency and where appropriate (to simplify any future management discussions should the possible MPAs progress); - For sites where black guillemots are a feature, the boundary of the possible MPA follows the natural break between the marine and terrestrial environment (i.e. the top of cliffs or back of storm beach/ rocky shores) and unless the presence of other features dictates otherwise, the seaward boundary extends 2 km from MLWS or to a maximum depth of 50 m. Additionally each pMPA boundary has been assigned a Protected Area code (PA_code).

Conformity

Conformity report

specification

title

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2008-12-19

degree

true

explanation

Believed to be conformant

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

You must always use the following attribution statement: Crown copyright and database right. [Insert year of supply]. All rights reserved. Use of data to conform to the terms of the One Scotland Mapping Agreement End User Licence.

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

copyright, licence

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

Data Manager

organisation name

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Headquaters

full postal address

Great Glen House, Leachkin Road

Inverness

IV3 8NW

telephone number

01463 725000

email address

data_supply@nature.scot

responsible party role

originator

Responsible party

contact position

SNH Geographic Systems and Data Officer

organisation name

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Headquaters

full postal address

Great Glen House, Leachkin Road

Inverness

IV3 8NW

telephone number

01463 725000

email address

data_supply@nature.scot

responsible party role

custodian

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

contact position

Marine Data Officer

organisation name

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Headquaters

full postal address

Great Glen House, Leachkin Road

Inverness

IV3 8NW

telephone number

01463 725000

email address

james.dargie@nature.scot

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2014-12-11

Metadata language