Scottish MPA Project
Scottish MPA Selection Guidelines - Stage 5 assessment
Northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata
Document version control
Version
Date
Author
Reason / Comments
Version 1
28/05/2012 Katie Gillham
Draft structure
Version 2
31/05/2012 Ben James
Map addition and assessment
Version 3
24/06/2012 Katie Gillham
Revised map and final edits
Distribution list
Format
Version
Issue date
Issued to
Electronic
2
31/05/2012
Michael McLeod, Sebastian
Howell, Pete Chaniotis
Electronic
3
24/06/2012
Michael McLeod, Sebastian
Howell, Pete Chaniotis
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Stage 5 assessment - Northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata
Introduction
Northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata have been confirmed within OSPAR Region III. The species has a wider distribution
with sparse records from OSPAR Regions II and V and to the west of the Outer Hebrides within OSPAR Region III but with no confirmed
aggregations. Examples of northern feather star aggregations are currently being considered for inclusion within 3 potential areas for MPAs.
These are shown in Figure 1.
Development of potential areas for MPAs
Northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata were first highlighted as a discrete feature in Loch Sunart in 2001 through an SNH
commissioned study to map seabed habitats within the Special Area of Conservation. Whilst the terminology was new, the earliest record of
the feature was also from Loch Sunart in 1989, with a small number of additional records subsequently collected through Marine Nature
Conservation Review surveys in the 1990s within Loch Linnhe, Loch Laxford and Loch Broom. Targeted sampling in the Mingulay area by
Marine Scotland Science in 2010 recorded extensive aggregations of the species on mixed muddy substrates and subsequent Marine Scotland
funded surveys later in 2010 and in 2011 have recorded similar aggregations in Loch Broom and Little Loch Broom, off the mouth of Loch
Gairloch, around the Small Isles and in the Little Minch.
The important contribution that sea lochs could make to the protection of northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata was recognised
within a position paper presented to the 4th national MPA stakeholder workshop in March 2012. The paper also highlighted the known wider
distribution of the feature.
The Small Isles Community Council submitted a third-party MPA proposal for the Sound of Canna. The proposal is for a range of seabed
habitats and species including northern feather star aggregations. Some, but not all, of the northern feather star aggregations are included
within the third-party proposal boundary. The Marine Conservation Society’s third-party proposal for Loch Sunart does not encompass the
northern feather star aggregations present there.
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Figure 1
Map showing potential areas for MPAs being considered for northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata
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Stage 5 assessment
Table 1 below sets out the assessment of northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata within potential areas for MPAs and the
contribution they might make to the network.
Table 1
Summary of contribution of potential areas for MPAs for northern feather star aggregations to the Scottish MPA network
OSPAR Potential
Region area for an
MPA /
search
location
Representation
Replication
Linkages
Geographic range
and variation
Resilience
Equal ecological
value
III
North-west
sea lochs
and
Summer
Isles
Small but good
example of the
feature.
NYA
Extends coverage
of geographic
range to the north.
Feature associated
with the sill(s) in
the sea lochs.
III
Small Isles
Good example
of the feature.
Replication can
be achieved
within OSPAR
Region III but
not between
different regions
because of the
restricted
distribution of
aggregations of
the species.
NYA
Middle of
geographic range
in Scotland. Open
coast examples of
the feature which is
distributed around
a coastal island
grouping.
Additional
replication within
OSPAR Region III
is proposed to
address lack of
replication between
OSPAR Regions
and the sensitivity
of the feature
within Scotland’s
seas.
III
Loch Sunart Good example
of the feature.
NYA
Extends coverage
of geographic
range to the south.
Feature situated
within the sea loch.
Potentially the
North-west sea
lochs and Summer
Isles and Loch
Sunart may be
considered to be of
equal ecological
value for northern
feather star
aggregations.
However, these
potential areas for
an MPA extend the
coverage of
geographic range to
the north and south.
Neither are
considered to be of
equal ecological
value to the Small
Isles.
NYA - Not yet assessed - pending results of MS connectivity modelling work.
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In summary:

Representation:  Potential areas for MPAs for northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata have been identified in
OSPAR Region III where all Scottish records for aggregations of this species are located.

Replication:  Northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata are included within more than one potential area for an MPA
but these are all within OSPAR Region III i.e. there is no replication between regions. It is not possible to achieve replication
between regions because aggregations of this species are only recorded in OSPAR Region III. Therefore this part of the guideline
is considered to be met.

Linkages: ? Not yet assessed - pending results of MSS work on connectivity.

Geographic range and variation:  The potential areas for northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata reflect the
known geographic range of the feature with the records in the North-west sea lochs and Loch Sunart extending the geographic
coverage to the north and south respectively. There is no known ecological variation between different flame shell beds in Scotland
but the recommended potential areas reflect the variation in environments within which the feature occurs (e.g. within sea lochs and
on the open coast).

Resilience:  A greater proportion of northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata should be included within the MPA
network because i) it is not possible to achieve replication between different OSPAR Regions, and ii) because of the sensitivity of
the feature within Scotland’s seas. It is therefore recommended that northern feather star aggregations on mixed substrata are
proposed as a protected feature within all three of the potential areas for MPAs currently being assessed within OSPAR Region III.

Equal ecological value: Each of the potential areas for an MPA could make a distinct contribution towards the MPA network.
There are unknowns regarding the relative qualities of the examples of the feature and it is possible that the examples in a sea loch
setting could be of equal ecological value in terms of assessment against the Stage 5 guideline.
Conclusions & recommendations
It is recommended that the following 3 potential areas for MPAs including northern feather star aggregations should be included within the
Scottish MPA network:

North-west sea lochs and Summer Isles

Small Isles

Loch Sunart
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