Scottish Government

Glossary Pressures Activities Features Sensitivity Scoring

PressureNon-indigenous speciesEQS additional information

ID	Pressure Name	Pressure Description
1	Barrier to mobile species movement	Cetaceans, basking shark and black guillemot only - The physical obstruction of species movements including local movements (within & between roosting, breeding, feeding areas) and regional/global migrations (e.g. birds, eels, salmon, whales). Includes up river movements (where tidal barrages & devices or dams could obstruct movements) or movements across open waters (offshore wind farm, wave or tidal device arrays, mariculture infrastructure or fixed fishing gears). It is acknowledged that aquaculture and fixed fishing gears represent very low scale barriers. Note: entanglement is included under Removal of non-target species pressure.
3	De-oxygenation	Pressure refers to water column de-oxygenation, and is closely related to the N and P enrichment pressure. However, the water column immediately above the sea bed can have lower oxygen levels than the general water column, and this is closely linked to the Organic enrichment and Siltation pressures. Compliance with WFD criteria for good status. In offshore waters oxygen status can be assumed to be high as there are no significant pressures. For fully saline waters, the WFD standard for good status is 4mg/l, compared to a suggested level of 5mg/l in WQTAG 088e. However, all fully saline waters already meet high status (>5.7mg/l). Within estuaries, the WFD standard for good status is 5-(0.028xsalinity) compared to a suggested level of 6-(0.028xsalinity) in WQTAG088e. The latter standard is more precautionary as it also seeks to protect migratory fish, which are likely to be the most sensitive element. Note1: where deoxygenation is being considered for features present within estuaries or in relation to mobile species, additional consideration should be given. Note 2: Assume existing EQS will ensure Not Sensitive unless evidence to suggest otherwise, however if the standards were breached then this pressure would need to be reconsidered.
2	Death or injury to mobile species by collision	Mobile species only - Injury or mortality from collisions of biota with both static &/or moving structures. Examples include: Collision with rigs (e.g. birds) or screens in intake pipes (e.g. fish at power stations) (static) or collisions with wind turbine blades, fish & mammal collisions with tidal devices and activities involving shipping (moving).
4	Electromagnetic changes	Basking shark and common skate only - Local electric field of 1 volt per meter; Local magnetic field of 10 telsa (µT).
5	Emergence regime changes - local	Intertidal species only - A 1 hour change in the time covered or not covered by the sea for a period of 1 year. Habitats and landscapes defined by intertidal zone An increase in relative sea level or decrease in high water level of 1 mm for one year over a shoreline.
6	Genetic modification & translocation of indigenous species	Aquaculture species only - Translocation outside of geographic area or introduction of hatchery-reared juveniles outside of geographic area from which adult stock derives. Note that issues of salmon or halibut escapes are not included as these do not pose any impacts on MPA protected features.
7	Introduction of microbial pathogens (disease)	Applicable to native oysters and habitats with native oysters only - The introduction of microbial pathogens Bonamia and Martelia refringens to an area where they are currently not present.
8	Introduction or spread of non-indigenous species & translocations (competition)	A significant pathway exists for introduction of one or more Invasive non-indigenous species (INS). Hyperlink to Annex I gives details of the INS considered.Click here to view species information.
9	Nitrogen & phosphorus enrichment	Compliance with WFD criteria for good status. Ideally, the pressure would be assessed in terms of increases in nutrient loading over background. However, such information is not readily available. As a surrogate it could be possible to use information from WFD and CEMP assessments in relation to winter concentrations of DIN (a measure of state) and compare these to WFD standards and status classification outputs. Note: Closely linked with De-oxygenation pressure.
10	Non-synthetic compound contamination (inc. heavy metals, hydrocarbons, produced water)	Compliance with all AA EQS, conformance with PELs, EACs/ER-Ls. Water column annual average (AA) environmental quality standards (EQS) provide high levels of protection for all living organisms. Canadian interim sediment quality guidelines (ISQG) Probable Effects Levels (PELs) provide an indication of sediment risks. OSPAR Environmental Assessment Criteria (EACs) and Effects Range- Low (ER-Ls) criteria provide guidelines for sediment risks. There are also some OSPAR EACs for biota.
11	Organic enrichment	A deposit of 100gC/m2/yr. This pressure is referring to particulate organic matter and is therefore closely associated with the Siltation pressures. Dissolved organic matter is not covered directly by other pressures, but N and P enrichment pressure addresses the key enrichment factors.
12	Physical change (to another seabed type)	The permanent change of one marine habitat type to another marine habitat type, through the change in substratum. For instance a change from sediment to solid substrate including artificial (e.g. concrete mattresses, rock dumping, and moorings), or from one type of sediment to another. This pressure concerns disposal or the deposit of material, whilst the removal of material is covered under abrasion pressures.
13	Physical loss (to land or freshwater habitat)	Permanent loss of existing marine habitat e.g. from coastal defence and land reclaim. Coastal features assumed to be highly sensitive to loss of their habitat.
14	Physical removal (extraction of substratum)	Extraction of sediment to 30cm
16	Removal of non-target species (lethal)	Removal of features through pursuit of a target fishery at a commercial scale, or through entanglement with nets or ropes e.g. aquaculture nets or mooring lines.
17	Removal of target species (lethal)	Removal of target species that are features of conservation importance or sub-features of habitats of conservation importance at a commercial scale .
18	Salinity changes - local	Increase from 35 to 38 units for one year or Decrease in salinity by 4-10 units for a year
31	Siltation changes (high)	30cm of fine material added to the seabed in a single event or the deposition of fine material over the lifetime of the development.
19	Siltation changes (low)	5cm of fine material added to the seabed in a single event, or the deposition of fine material over the lifetime of the development.
20	Sub-surface abrasion/penetration:	Damage to species living within the seabed. For geological/geomorphological features, the pressure relates to the indirect removal of surface sediment via accelerated flow (e.g. from scour around foundations or from propeller jets) or penetration by structures/equipment (e.g. fishing gear)
21	Surface abrasion	Damage to species living on the seabed or damage to geological and geomorphological structures at the seabed surface
22	Synthetic compound contamination (inc. pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals)	"Compliance with all AA EQS, conformance with PELs, EACs, ER-Ls. Water column annual average (AA) environmental quality standards (EQS) provide high levels of protection for all living organisms. Canadian interim sediment quality guidelines (ISQG) Probable Effects Levels (PELs) provide an indication of sediment risks. OSPAR Environmental Assessment Criteria (EACs) and Effects Range- Low (ER-Ls) criteria provide guidelines for sediment risks. There are also some OSPAR EACs for biota.
24	Temperature changes - local	A 5 ºC change in sea temperature for a one month period, or 2ºC for one year e.g. from thermal discharges
23	Temperature changes - national	1.5-4 ºC change in sea temperature by 2100 (from UKClimate Impacts Project 2009 predictions).
25	Underwater noise	Marine Strategy Framework Directive indicator levels (Sound Exposure Level or peak Sound Pulse Level) exceeded for 20% of days in calendar year within site
37	Visual disturbance (behaviour)	Black guillemot only - The disturbance of biota by anthropogenic activities, including disturbance relating to the introduction of light.
27	Water clarity changes	A change in one rank on the WFD scale, e.g. from clear to turbid for one year (ranks are mean suspended particulate matter in units of mg/c: >300 - very turbid; 100-300 - medium turbidity; 10-100 - intermediate; <10 - clear.)
28	Water flow (tidal current) changes - local	Peak mean spring tide flow change between 0.1m/s to 0.2m/s over an area >1km2 or 50% of width of water body for > 1 year
29	Wave exposure changes - local	A change in mean annual nearshore significant wave height >3% but <5% (sig wave ht =the average height of the highest one third of waves. This considers wind fetch, wind strength, duration of wind, and topography; generally sig wave ht is <1.2m but can be up to 3m around UK coast)

ID	Scientific Name	Common Name	Invasive?	Habitats	Comments
13	Urosalpinx cinerea	American oyster drill	Y	Predator on oysters
5	Eriocheir sinensis	Chinese mitten crab	Y	Structuring component of high intertidal in upper estuaries
4	Didemnum vexillum	Colonial tunicate	Y	May encrust submerged structures but may also affect sheltered shallow subtidal hard substrates
10	Spartina anglica	Common cord-grass, Townsend’s grass or ricegrass	Y	May dominate lower saltmarsh
17	Codium fragile subsp tormentosoides	Green sea fingers	N	May dominate algal cover in infralittoral rocky reefs
12	Undaria pinnatifida	Japanese kelp	N	May dominate algal cover on rocky shores from low tide down to 15m
9	Sargassum muticum	Japanese weed	Y	May dominate algal cover on sheltered rocky and coarse substrate shores penetrating into estuaries
11	Styela clava	Leathery sea squirt	Y
6	Ficopomatus enigmaticus	Marine tubeworm	Y
14	Mustela vison	Mink (added for black gulliemot feature only)	N
2	Crassostrea gigas	Pacific oyster	Y	May form oyster beds on coarse/hard substrates in estuaries	Recently found growing outwith culture areas in the Solway, however any potential risks are associated with increasing temperatures that may allow natural spawning and subseqent impacts on natural flora and fauna. There is a commitment by the UKTAG group to consider C.gigas position on the UKTAG list using a recent review as background.
7	Marenzelleria viridis	Polychaete	N	May dominate faunal assemblage in low salinity shallow subtidal muds
8	Perophora japonica	Sea squirt	N	May cover up to 10% of seabed surface in lagoons
3	Crepidula fornicata	Slipper limpet	Y	May smother subtidal muddy and sandy seabeds

EQS (Environmental Quality Standards) are thresholds that are set for chemicals and other environmental parameters and used by regulators to achieve certain goals.

EQS for fin fish culture within the AZE (allowable zone of effect) are designed to ensure biota are protected to allow recovery, and are not at a level that prevent any impacts; EQS are set using sentinal species, therefore the impact on all species is not known; therefore site level consideration is required for fin fish activities, despite the adherence to EQS. Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum research currently underway is investigating/reviewing the current finfish EQS.

EQS can be exceeded within identified mixing zones from pollution discharges to coastal waters (SEPA, 2009) and currently are scrutinised by SEPA on a site level within designated sites and therefore will also require site level consideration for MPAs.

For some pressures (e.g. deoxygenation) it is assumed that the current EQS will ensure that the feature is not sensitive to the pressure at the benchmark level (unless there is evidence to suggest otherwise). The scoring of not sensitive does not take into account a situation where the EQS is exceeded for any reason.