How do we protect whales and dolphins in Marine Protected Areas?
Scotland’s seas are home to some of Europe’s most incredible wildlife, but understanding highly mobile species like whales and dolphins is challenging and there’s still much to learn.
In Scotland, some cetacean species - harbour porpoises, minke whales, bottlenose and Risso’s dolphins – have designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Looking after these species isn’t just about understanding population size, their needs and threats, it’s also about understanding the health of the wider marine environment they depend on.
We’re excited to share the results of a new NatureScot report lead by the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) and HWDT that sets out fresh recommendations for monitoring the health of whales, dolphins and porpoises within the Scottish MPA network.
WHERE ARE THE MPAS FOR CETACEANS IN SCOTLAND?
The maps below details where the MPA sites are found in Scotland’s seas and the species these sites are designated to protect.
WHAT’S NEW ABOUT THE RECOMMENDED APPROACH?
Traditionally, monitoring has focused on numbers; where animals are found and how many there are. This is still a vital monitoring tool, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Our report recommends looking at the bigger picture:
What’s happening in the wider ecosystem - including whether whales and dolphins have enough food available.
How human activity is affecting them - such as marine developments, entanglement in fishing gear or underwater noise.
Signs of animal health - from strandings to birth rates.
By looking at these different pieces together, we can get a clearer picture of how healthy Scotland’s seas really are.
HWDT CONTRIBUTION
Alongside the report, HWDT are also part of the Scottish West Coast Cetacean Monitoring Expert Group working with Nature Scot and our partners to help shape monitoring practices in Scotland’s seas.
Over the past 30 years, a colossal amount of data has been collected through our community sightings programme, Whale Track, and monitoring expeditions aboard our research vessel Silurian. This long-term effort has provided some of the most detailed information about where whales, dolphins and porpoises live around Scotland’s west coast, and the threats that they face. These data underpinned the identification and designation of the sites, and are now feeding into the monitoring recommendations for MPAs.
The new report highlights the importance of building on existing data like ours, and of working together across organisations, such as Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and ORCA.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Healthy seas mean healthy whales and dolphins, and healthy coastal communities which rely on our marine environment too. By adopting a more holistic approach, Scotland can develop robust marine management strategies to:
Strengthen marine protection and ensure it’s effective.
Safeguard food webs that whales and dolphins rely on.
Reduce risks to cetaceans like disturbance and entanglement.
LOOKING AHEAD
The report recommends rolling out the most urgent monitoring steps now, while planning for longer-term goals. Crucially, it also highlights the need for regular review, so that we can ensure monitoring efforts and working and can adapt as new challenges emerge.
HWDT will continue to play our part, working with partners to ensure that whales, dolphins and porpoises are not only surviving, but thriving in Scotland’s seas. Working together, we can all help create a brighter future for Scotland’s marine wildlife.
Be part of the team and have an unforgettable time exploring the Hebrides while protecting the marine life found here
We need you to continue this vital work
For over 20 years, more than 1,000 citizen scientists have helped us collect an incredible amount of visual and acoustic data. This data gathered on board Silurian plays a key role in understanding cetaceans across the west coast aiding protection of the marine environment. This vital work wouldn’t be possible without people like you.