Crown

NatureScot and Joint Nature Conservation Committee have collated data from various sources forming the Geodatabase of Marine features adjacent to Scotland (GeMS). This collation of species and habitat records provides information on the known recorded distribution of Scottish Priority Marine Features (PMFs), and Annex I habitats in the marine environment and is used as the core evidence base to support the Scottish Marine Protected Area (MPA) network.

This web map service is a redacted version of the latest GEMS, providing non-sensitive data on the species and habitats included in the collation.

NatureScot and Joint Nature Conservation Committee have collated data from various sources forming the Geodatabase of Marine features adjacent to Scotland (GeMS). This collation of species and habitat records provides information on the known recorded distribution of Scottish Priority Marine Features (PMFs), and Annex I habitats in the marine environment and is used as the core evidence base to support the Scottish Marine Protected Area (MPA) network.

This web map service is a redacted version of the latest GEMS, providing non-sensitive data on the species and habitats included in the collation.

The Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters (PFOW) supports a diverse marine economy and a vast majority of the area is used for multiple activities. This means there is a potential for competition and conflict. The Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters was chosen to pilot the development of a marine spatial plan to support sustainable management of the area’s seas. It aims to balance the needs of local communities and marine economic activities whilst protecting the environment on which they depend. The pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Spatial Plan is being developed by a working group that includes Marine Scotland, Orkney Islands Council and Highland Council. This pilot Plan aims to put in place a planning policy framework in advance of statutory regional marine planning to support sustainable decision making on marine use and management. Through the process of producing the pilot Plan, there have been many lessons learned, which will be published shortly, to inform the preparation of future regional marine plans and the governance arrangements that could underpin Marine Planning Partnerships. It is also anticipated that the pilot Plan will establish a useful basis for the preparation of the two future regional marine plans for Orkney and the North Coast Scottish Marine Regions. This layer displays map 9 of the plan, which shows Shellfish Harvesting Waters and Water Protected Areas in the PFOW.

The Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters (PFOW) supports a diverse marine economy and a vast majority of the area is used for multiple activities. This means there is a potential for competition and conflict. The Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters was chosen to pilot the development of a marine spatial plan to support sustainable management of the area’s seas. It aims to balance the needs of local communities and marine economic activities whilst protecting the environment on which they depend. The pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Spatial Plan is being developed by a working group that includes Marine Scotland, Orkney Islands Council and Highland Council. This pilot Plan aims to put in place a planning policy framework in advance of statutory regional marine planning to support sustainable decision making on marine use and management. Through the process of producing the pilot Plan, there have been many lessons learned, which will be published shortly, to inform the preparation of future regional marine plans and the governance arrangements that could underpin Marine Planning Partnerships. It is also anticipated that the pilot Plan will establish a useful basis for the preparation of the two future regional marine plans for Orkney and the North Coast Scottish Marine Regions. This layer displays map 21 of the plan, which shows Ports, Harbours, Piers, Slips, Visitor Yacht Moorings and Marinas in the PFOW.