Consultation - Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs)
Designated areas of the sea that are strictly protected to allow the marine ecosystems within to recover and thrive.
Our seas are vital to Scotland’s population and key to our identity. They sustain the livelihoods of thousands of people in communities up and down the country, providing food, energy and a thriving marine tourism industry, among many other benefits. The Scottish Government is committed to introducing Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) covering at least 10% of our nearshore and offshore waters to protect our natural resources which sustain the industries we all rely on.
You can get involved by responding to the Scottish Government public consultation launched 12 December 2022 and running until 17 April 2023 (extended by 4 weeks). The consultation is seeking views on key documents the help inform and shape the HPMA policy development, and includes the Policy Framework and Site Selection Guidelines.
HPMAs will build upon Scotland’s existing Marine Protected Area network, delivering strict, ‘whole site’ protection from damaging human activities. In this way, HPMAs offer opportunities for carefully managed enjoyment and appreciation of our natural resources, aiding efforts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, HPMAs will help ensure we continue to benefit from our rich seas for generations to come.
Designating HPMAs by 2026 will affect how we use and interact with our marine environment but making space for nature is critical to address biodiversity loss and needs to occur alongside the growing demand for marine space for human activities.
Individuals, communities and businesses will be interested in HPMAs for a number of different reasons. That is why it is important we hear your thoughts on the emerging framework of HPMA policies, how and when to take socio-economics into account and, the selection guidelines that set out how to identify ecosystems requiring protection.
Scottish Government has asked NatureScot to work with stakeholders between spring 2023 and late summer 2024 to apply the finalised selection guidelines and identify suitable locations for HPMAs in nearshore waters (within 12NM of the coast). The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) will lead site selection in offshore waters around Scotland (beyond 12NM).
The selection guidelines set out a five-stage site selection process with conservation of marine ecosystems as the priority, and driven by the presence of functions and resources of significance to Scotland’s seas.
Application of the selection guidelines will explore the potential contribution marine areas around our coast could make towards achieving the following HPMA aims -
- Facilitating ecosystem recovery and enhancement
- Enhancing the benefits that coastal communities & others derive from our seas
- Contributing to the mitigation of climate change impacts
- Supporting ecosystem adaptation and improving resilience
Please read the consultation documents for further details.
Stakeholders will be able to put forward potential locations for HPMA consideration through a third party proposal process. The draft guidelines include a template to help facilitate these third party submissions. Further details on opportunities to help shape the creation of these areas, including a proposed series of workshops over the course of 2023-2024 and subsequent consultation stages, are set out in the HPMA stakeholder engagement plan.
Related Links
MS HPMA consultation page
MS HPMA page
JNCC Scottish HPMA page
HPMA stakeholder engagement plan
