On the 3rd December 2020, Scottish Ministers announced the designation of four further Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (NCMPA) and twelve Special Protection Areas (SPA). The areas include north-east Lewis, Sea of the Hebrides, Shiant East Bank and Southern Trench. A total of 230 sites are now subject to marine protection measures, covering around 227,622 square kilometres (37 per cent) of Scotland’s seas and means Scotland is providing a significant contribution to the expected Convention on Biodiversity target of reaching 30% global ocean protection by 2030 – often known as 30by30.
Marine Connection welcomes this news as the new designations gives additional protection to marine species including minke whales, Risso’s dolphins and basking sharks as well as 31 species of marine birds.
