Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) management areas – Inshore MPA and PMF fisheries management measures consultation - 2025

Following the identification of 11 PMFs most vulnerable to bottom-contacting mobile fishing gear, Marine Directorate and NatureScot initiated a multi-phase process to develop appropriate fisheries management measures for Scotland’s inshore waters. This began with a scoping consultation in 2018 on identifying the now established 11 PMFs most vulnerable to bottom-contacting mobile fishing gears.  

Building on this, a stakeholder workshop was held in 2019. Recognising the importance of local knowledge and industry input, Marine Scotland committed to conducting targeted fisheries engagement before launching any formal consultation on proposed inshore fisheries management measures. This engagement took place in two phases: December 2019 to March 2020, and again from December 2021 to January 2022, with a pause due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

In response to feedback from these sessions, the Scottish Government began work in 2023 on a combined sustainability appraisal, starting with social impact research. This included workshops and drop-in sessions across six regions to gather community perspectives on proposed management measures. These insights are now being incorporated into a full socio-economic impact assessment, which will inform the statutory assessments and public consultation required to implement new fisheries management measures. 

The proposed management areas, shown in this dataset, within Scotland’s inshore waters were defined through a collaborative process involving scientific advice and stakeholder engagement led by Marine Directorate. boundary setting for proposed management areas was guided by ecological evidence, expert input, and feedback from stakeholders. 

The overarching goal remains to ensure that PMFs are protected in accordance with General Policy 9b of the National Marine Plan, which states that marine development and use must not result in significant impact on the national status of PMFs.  

The 11 PMFs are: Blue mussel beds; Cold water coral reefs; Fan mussel aggregations; Flame shell beds; Horse mussel beds; Maerl beds; Maerl or coarse shell gravel with burrowing sea cucumbers; Native oysters; Northern sea fan and sponge communities; Seagrass beds; Serpulid aggregations.  MS Maps NMPi hosts maps layers for these PMFs as web map services (WMS) from SNH (search MS Maps NMPi for each PMF name).