Protected areas for whales, dolphins and sharks designated in Scottish waters
Excellent news! Today the Scottish Government has announced the designation of four new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for minke whale, basking shark and Risso’s dolphin in Scottish waters.
The new protected areas include the first MPAs for minke whales in the UK and the first basking shark MPA in the world.
These MPAs are areas of critical habitat, where the animals perform tasks essential for survival such as feeding, breeding and calving. It is vital that we monitor and protect these important places as well as the cetaceans and sharks that use them.
HWDT has engaged with the MPA process for many years, providing scientific evidence to support site selection and advocating for better protection, and we welcome the government’s decision to designate these sites.
“Cetaceans such as minke whale and Risso’s dolphin are key indicators of healthy seas - in protecting them, we safeguard the marine environment. Well-managed and monitored MPAs in the west of Scotland have a key role to play in the conservation of these much loved whales, dolphins and sharks, and we welcome the government’s announcement today.”
Three of the newly protected areas were first proposed by HWDT, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and Cetacean Research and Rescue Unit in 2011.
Dedicated survey work, carried out by HWDT volunteer citizen scientists over the last two decades, helped to identify the Sea of the Hebrides MPA as an important feeding area for minke whales and basking sharks on a national scale. Our photo-identification research has shown some minke whales returning to this site year upon year for over a decade.
“Long-term monitoring carried out by HWDT highlights the importance of these sites for key life history stages for minke whales, basking sharks and Risso’s dolphins. We are absolutely delighted that the importance of these sites have been recognised by the Scottish Government, with the Sea of the Hebrides MPA representing a national and global first for minke whales and basking sharks.”
The announcement also includes the designation of twelve Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for Scotland’s seabirds, which play an important role in our marine ecosystems.
Site designation is however just the first step and our work doesn’t end here. It is important that management measures are implemented within the proposed areas and that regional protection is supplemented by wider measures at a national and international scale. We will continue working to ensure the protection is meaningful and ensure that we give whales, dolphins and basking sharks a strong voice here in Scotland.
Four Marine Protected Areas (in red), which include sites for minke whale, basking shark and Risso’s dolphin, and twelve Special Protection Areas (in blue) for seabirds designated today by the Scottish Government. Source: https://www.gov.scot/news/safeguarding-scotlands-marine-environment/
To read more about why we think these sites are so important, please read our response to the consultation which is available online here.