Scottish Environment Minister Announces New Marine Protected Area

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Scotland’s Natural Environment Minister Mairi Gougeon has announced the designation of a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) off the West of Scotland covering an area of over 100,000 square kilometres.

The designation of this site will mean more than 30% of Scotland’s seas are now covered by MPAs, exceeding the proposed new global target for 2030 currently being negotiated by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

The site includes deep sea habitats and species, such as deep sea sharks, and coral gardens.