Open Government Licence (OGL)

Data from a scientific deep-water trawl fisheries survey in the north-east Atlantic were analysed to determine the spatial and bathymetric distribution of elasmobranch species and assess the change in relative abundance over the period 1998–2013. During this period, commercial fisheries for deep-water sharks went from being entirely unregulated, to being brieflymanaged, to being completely prohibited. Out of the 11 more common species, five showed no change in relative abundance over time, two (Centrophorus squamosus and Centroselachus crepidater) declined significantly and four increased in relative abundance (Apristurus aphyodes, Apristurus microps, Galeus melastomus and Deania calcea).

This layer depicts the distribution of Velvet belly shark (Etmopterus spinax) across the survey area.

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.

Community councils are required to be established by local authorities. They are the most local tier of statutory representation in Scotland. They bridge the gap between local authorities and communities and help to make public bodies aware of the opinions and needs of the communities they represent. Community councils are statutory consultees under various processes, such as for planning applications.

There are many instances where polygons do not tessellate or snap to local authority boundaries. The Spatial Hub processing can correct for some minor gap errors (<5m) but not larger ones. Such gaps in the dataset mean that it cannot potentially be used for some kinds of spatial analysis e.g. point in polygon, because some point locations may fall within the gaps. These gaps either require amendment at source or approval for the IS to change.

Marine Consultation Areas are non-statutory areas identified by NatureScot as deserving particular distinction in respect of the quality and sensitivity of the marine environment within them. Their selection encourages coastal communities and management bodies to be aware of marine conservation issues in the area.