Here users can start with a feature, such as horse mussel beds, and explore information on the sensitivity of that feature to pressures and their associated activities.

These features are&nbsp;Priority Marine Features that occur in intertidal and continental shelf habitats. Priority Marine Features&nbsp;are a prioritised list of habitats and species of conservation importance, which help to focus action and to achieve our vision for sustaining Scotland's seas.

Priority Marine Features

The Habitats Directive is the short name for European Union Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. Member States must designate, protect and manage core areas for habitat types listed in Annex I.

Habitats Directive Annex I habitats

A particular type of environment within which a plant or animal lives.

Habitats

Invertebrate species that have the ability to move, but the movement is limited in some way.

Shellfish and other invertebrates

Species that have the ability to move freely.

Mobile species

Species

Geological features formed as a result of processes occuring during the last ice age.

Quaternary of Scotland

Geological features remaining on the seabed as part of past geological processes.

Submarine Mass Movement

Geomorphological features formed by the action of deep-sea currents.

Marine Geomorphology of the Scottish Deep Ocean Seabed

Depressions in the seabed formed as a result of the escape of fluids or gases from the seabed.

Seabed Fluid and Gas Seep

Geological structures that rise from the deep-ocean seabed around Scotland.

Cenozoic Structures of the Atlantic Margin

Geomorphological features formed by the action of tides and currents.

Marine Geomorphology of the Scottish Shelf Seabed

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Geodiversity features

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Fish species including both teleosts (bony) and elasmobranchs (cartilaginous).

Fish

Allis shad

Anglerfish

Marine birds are birds that are adapted to life within the marine environment. This includes all seabirds and inshore wintering waterfowl.

Marine birds

Arctic skua

Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) have one of the longest migrations of any bird species and often travel between the Arctic and Antarctic each year. They breed in coastal colonies, and feed primarily on small fish from the top few centimetres of the water column.

Arctic tern

Atlantic halibut&nbsp;(Hippoglossus hippoglossus)

Atlantic halibut

Atlantic herring

Atlantic mackerel

Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) are members of the auk family. Atlantic puffins are a migratory species that generally breed in burrows on offshore islands, and spend the rest of the year at sea. They generally feed on fish, crustaceans may also form part of their diet.

Atlantic puffin

Atlantic salmon

The European common sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) is what is listed as an Annex II species. Which species should be assessed?

Atlantic sturgeon

Includes cetaceans (whales, dolphins or porpoises), pinnipeds (seals) and otters.

Marine mammals

Atlantic white-sided dolphin

A geomorphological feature of the seabed formed by the action of tides and currents.

Bank (unknown substrate)

The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the world's second largest fish (up to 10 m), which has a global distribution and forms seasonal aggregations on the continental shelf of the Atlantic, including Scotland. It feeds on zooplankton, is slow to mature, has low fecundity and gives birth to live young.

Basking shark

Black guillemots (Cepphus grylle) are members of the auk family, they are a resident non-migratory species that generally remain close inshore. They nest along cliffs and offshore islands and generally feed in kelp forests.

Black guillemot

Black-headed gull

Black-legged kittiwake

Black scabbardfish

Black-throated diver (Gavia arctica) is an elegant and distinctive species that typically uses sheltered coastal waters during the non-breeding season. It feeds predominantly upon fish, alongside other prey groups.

Black-throated diver

Blue ling (Molva dypterygia) is a deep water fish species that forms spawning aggregations in the deep waters to the west of Scotland.

Blue ling

Beds formed by the blue mussel bivalve mollusc Mytilus edulis. The beds they form significantly modify the local habitat and provide hard substrate for the settlement of other species, refuge from predators and ecological niches for a wide range of organisms.

Blue mussel beds

Reefs are rocky marine habitats or biological concretions that rise from the seabed. They are generally subtidal but may extend as an unbroken transition into the intertidal zone, where they are exposed to the air at low tide. Intertidal areas are only included within this Annex I type where they are connected to subtidal reefs. Reefs are very variable in form and in the communities that they support. Two main types of reef can be recognised: those where animal and plant communities develop on rock or stable boulders and cobbles, and those where structure is created by the animals themselves (biogenic reefs).

Reefs

Blue whiting

Bottlenose dolphin

Soft muddy sediments peppered with the burrows of burrowing animals such as the Dublin Bay prawn and populated with other animals such as sea pens and anemones.

Burrowed mud

Burrowing sea anemone

Large geological domed features formed from calcium carbonate that often host fragile species such as corals and sponges.

Carbonate mound communities

Formed of biotopes that fall within the Annex I habitat subtypes of &apos;Clean sands / Muddy sands&apos;, &apos;Clean sands&apos;, and &apos;Muddy sands&apos;, all at littoral depth.

Intertidal mudflats and sandflats are submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide. They form a major component of Estuaries and Large shallow inlets and bays in the UK but also occur extensively along the open coast and in lagoonal inlets. The physical structure of the intertidal flats ranges from mobile, coarse-sand beaches on wave-exposed coasts to stable, fine-sediment mudflats in estuaries and other marine inlets. This habitat type can be divided into three broad categories (clean sands, muddy sands and muds), although in practice there is a continuous gradation between them. Within this range the plant and animal communities present vary according to the type of sediment, its stability and the salinity of the water.

Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide

Clean sands / Muddy sands

Formed of one biotope (SS.SBR.Crl.Lop) that falls within the Annex I habitat subtype of 'Biogenic (Cold-water coral reefs)', at circalittoral depth.

Cold-water coral reefs

The common eider (Somateria mollissima) is the largest duck species found in Scotland. Common eider is a seaduck which dives to the seabed to forage on benthic molluscs and crustaceans, primarily selecting mussels.

Common eider

Common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) is a medium-size duck species occurring in its highest numbers during the non-breeding season, although a small population does breed in Scotland. Common goldeneye dive to forage for food, mainly molluscs and crustaceans, but fish and plant material can also make up a small part of their diet.

Common goldeneye

The common guillemot (Uria aalge) is a member of the auk family, common guillemots are a migratory species that generally breed on coastal cliffs, and spend the rest of the year at sea. They generally feed on fish.

Common guillemot

Common gull

Common scoter (Melanitta nigra) is a non-breeding visitor to Scotland that typically feeds and roosts far offshore. It forages on benthic species, mainly molluscs.

Common scoter

Considered as a type of offshore subtidal sand and gravel habitat. Coarse sediments such as gravel and cobbles on the continental shelf that can host a range of animals such as sponges, bryozoans, crabs and squat lobsters.

Continental shelf coarse sediments

Considered as a type of offshore subtidal sand and gravel habitat. Mixed sediments from gravel and cobbles to finer sands on the continental shelf that can host a range of animals such as sponges, bryozoans, polychaete worms and sea urchins.

Continental shelf mixed sediments

Considered as a type of offshore deep-sea mud habitat. Seabed sediments on the continental shelf ranging from fine silty muds to sandy muds that can host a range of animals both within and on the seabed such as polychaete worms, sea urchins and star fish .

Continental shelf muds

Considered as a type of offshore subtidal sand and gravel habitat. Sandy sediments on the continental shelf that can host a range of animals such as sea urchins, star fish and polychaete worms.

Continental shelf sands

A relatively steeply sloping surface extending from the outer edge of the continental shelf to the continental rise. Please note that this is a component of the Cenozoic structures of the Atlantic Margin geodiversity feature and not the large&#45;scale biodiversity MPA search feature which is not included within FeAST.

Continental slope

Channels in the continental slope resulting from the scouring effect of grounded icebergs during the last ice age.

Continental slope channels

Canyons in the continental slope resulting from large scale slides and movements of sediments.

Continental slope turbidite canyons

Extensive fine grained accumulations of sediments that have accumulated over long time scales.

Contourite sand/silt

Aggregations of soft and hard coral species, found on both hard and soft bottomed seabeds.

Coral gardens

Considered as a type of offshore subtidal sand and gravel habitat. Mixed sediments from gravel and cobbles to finer sands on the continental slope and abyssal plain that can host a range of animals such as sponges, bryozoans, polychaete worms and sea urchins.

Deep sea mixed sediments

Considered as a type of offshore subtidal sand and gravel habitat. Muddy sands on the continental slope and abyssal plain that may host a range of animals such as sea spiders, sea urchins and polychaete worms as well as sea pens.

Deep sea muddy sands

Considered as a type of offshore subtidal sand and gravel habitat. Sandy habitats on the continental slope and abyssal plain that may host a range of aninmals such as sea urchins, star fish and anemones.

Deep sea sands

Aggregations of deep water sponge species such as the glass sponge (Pheronema carpenteri).

Deep sea sponge aggregations

European river lamprey

European shags (Gulosus aristotelis) are resident in Scotland, and they are a species that shows high nesting site fidelity at its coastal colonies. In the non-breeding season, they typically remain within 100-200km from their breeding colony site. European shags are a diving pursuit feeder, mainly preying on sandeels.

European shag

European sprat

European storm petrel

Fan mussels (Atrina fragilis) are one of Britain&apos;s largest threatened molluscs. Fan mussels live with the pointed end of their shell buried in the sediment attached by fine threads made by the animal. The densest known aggregation of fan mussels in UK waters was recorded off Canna in 2009. Although a single fan mussel qualifies as a PMF, to qualify as an MPA feature, there must be an aggregation of fan mussels. An aggregation is currently defined as more than two fan mussels present in a single survey sample or across multiple surveys/samples in a broad geographic area (1 to 2 km2).

Fan mussel aggregations

Fin whale

Beds formed by the flame shell bivalve mollusc Limaria hians. Flame shells create nests of threads that provide an attachment surface for many other marine plants and animals such as hydroids, bryozoans, ascidians and seaweeds.

Flame shell beds

Studies have shown that common skate are composed of two species - the blue skate (Dipturus batis) and the flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius). It is the flapper skate that is predominantly recorded in Scottish waters. This skate is the largest in European waters and tends to live on sandy, muddy and gravel bottoms from the coast down to 600 m.

Flapper skate and blue skate (formerly common skate)

Depressions in the seabed resulting from the scouring effect of grounded icebergs during the last ice age.

Glaciated channel/trough

Goosander

Great black-backed gull

Great cormorant

The greater scaup (Aythya marila) is a gregarious winter visitor to Scotland. An omnivorous diving forager that mostly feeds upon benthic molluscs.

Greater scaup

The great northern diver (Gavia immer) is the largest diver species. It spends its winters in a range of coastal habitats, preferring shallow inshore waters. It feeds on a mix of freshwater and marine prey, mainly fish.

Great northern diver

Great skua

Greenland halibut

Grey seal

Gulper shark

Harbour porpoise

Harbour seal

Heart Cockle

Herring gull

Horse mackerel

Beds formed by the horse mussel bivalve mollusc Modiolus modiolous. The beds they form significantly modify the local habitat and provide hard substrate for the settlement of other species, refuge from predators and ecological niches for a wide range of organisms.

Horse mussel beds

Erosional furrows caused by the scouring effect of grounded icebergs during the last ice age.

Iceberg ploughmark fields

A habitat found in the silty muddy basins of sea lochs and other stable deep waters. The habitat is characterised by the heart urchin Brissopsis lyrifera. The habitat supports other species including burrowing bivalve molluscs, polychaete worms and also the Dublin bay prawn (Nephrops norvegicus).

Inshore deep mud with burrowing heart urchins

Formed of biotopes that fall within the Annex I habitat subtype of 'Mudflats', all at littoral depth.

Intertidal mudflats

A habitat dominated primarily by sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima), bootlace weed (Chorda filum) and various red and brown seaweeds. The turfs of seaweed may support a diverse range of animals including burrowing polychaete worms, bivalve molluscs, and scavengers including hermit crabs and fish.

Kelp and seaweed communities on sublittoral sediment

Kelp beds consist primarily of the forest forming species, cuvie kelp (Laminaria hyperborea) and foliose red seaweeds in the subtidal zone.

Kelp beds

Killer whale

Scouring caused by the landscape or glacial deposition.

Landscape or aerial glacial scour

Leach's storm petrel

Leafscale gulper shark

Lesser black-backed gull

Ling

Little gull

The little tern (Sternula albifrons) is Scotland's smallest tern species. Breeding colonies are located on beaches nearby shallow, sheltered waters which offer good foraging for small fish and invertebrates.

Little tern

Long-finned pilot whale

Longitudinal bedform field

Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) is a gregarious seaduck that forms large non-breeding flocks. Long-tailed duck dives to the seabed to forage on a range of prey including benthic molluscs, crustaceans, and small fish.

Long-tailed duck

This habitat is dominated by sugar kelp, red and green seaweeds and encrusting coralline algae growing on cobbles, boulders and rocks. The seaweeds provide food and shelter for a range of animals including sea urchins, tube-dwelling polychaete worms, sea squirts, barnacles, starfish and brittle stars.

Low or variable salinity habitats

This habitat is characterised by nodules of the calcified red seaweed maerl (Phymatolithon calcareum and Lithothamnion glaciale). In high abundances, maerl can form loosely interlocking beds. This provides perfect living conditions for a range of marine animals including sea firs, sea urchins, brittle stars, starfish and scallops.

Maerl beds

As well as maerl, this habitat is characterised by high densities of the gravel sea cucumber (Neopentadactyla mixta). Scallops, brittle stars, crabs and dragonets may live on the surface of the sediment.

Maerl or coarse shell gravel with burrowing sea cucumbers

Manx shearwater

Large marks caused by the scouring effect of grounded icebergs during the last ice age.

Megascale glacial lineations

Minke whale

Submarine glacial ridges, composed of poorly sorted sediments (boulders, gravels, sands and clay), which were deposited at an ice limit during the deglaciation of the last ice age.

Moraines

Deep&#45;water mounds formed from sediment that has been transferred to the seabed from strata that are more than 24 Ma old. The examples found in the UK in the Faroe&#45;Shetland Channel are unusual in that they are the only mud diapirs that breach the seabed surface.

Mud diapirs

A habitat made up of beds of the native oyster (Ostrea edulis). A diverse community of organisms can live on and within the sediment beneath the bed including polychaete worms and sea slugs.

Native oysters

Northern bottlenose whale

Northern feather star

Northern feather stars (Leptometra celtica) are a relative of the starfish. They use their branching arms to catch passing plankton and suspended organic particles. Feather stars are commonly found on sediment, shell, gravel or bedrock. In areas of low wave action and good water flow, feather stars can form dense aggregations making up a significant component of the seabed community. Although a single northern feather star qualifies as a PMF, to qualify as an MPA feature, there must be an aggregation of feather stars with a SACFOR value of S, A, or C, and must be on mixed substrata.

Northern featherstar aggregations on mixed substrata

Northern fulmar

The pressure is thought to be caused by the activity and the feature is considered exposed to that activity.

Associated

A feature is assessed as having high sensitivity where the pressure causes severe or significant mortality of a species population (most individuals killed). Habitat features are highly sensitive where the pressure causes severe or significant mortality of key functional or structural species or those that characterise the habitat, and/or causes changes in the habitat such that environmental conditions are changed (e.g. the habitat type is changed). If recovery is possible, the feature is anticipated to take 10 years to recover from the impacts caused by the pressure

High

A feature is assessed as having high sensitivity where the pressure causes severe or significant mortality of a species population (most individuals killed).  Habitat features are highly sensitive where the pressure causes severe or significant mortality of key functional or structural species or those that characterise the habitat, and/or causes changes in the habitat such that environmental conditions are changed (e.g. the habitat type is changed).  If recovery is possible, the feature is anticipated to take 10 years to recover from the impacts caused by the pressure. An asterisk is used to denote an underlaying range of sensitivites for habitat features (e.g. due to the feature including species with a range of different sensitivities to a pressure) OR for species it denotes a sensitivity within certain key areas for that species - explained further in evidence. Where an asterisk follows a high sensitivity score, it denotes that the highest sensitivity score for the feature is high. 

High*

Features with low sensitivity are those with high resistance or where recovery from any impacts caused by pressure is rapid, so that the feature is recovered within two years from cessation of pressure causing activity.

Features with low sensitivity are those with high resistance or where recovery from any impacts caused by pressure is rapid, so that the feature is recovered within two years from cessation of pressure causing activity. An asterisk is used to denote an underlaying range of sensitivites for habitat features (e.g. due to the feature including species with a range of different sensitivities to a pressure) OR for species it denotes a sensitivity within certain key areas for that species - explained further in evidence. Where an asterisk follows a low sensitivity score, it denotes that the highest sensitivity score for the feature is low. 

Low*

Features with medium sensitivity are those characterised by medium resistance and no to low recovery or no to low resistance and medium to high recovery. 

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Geodiversity features[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Cenozoic Structures of the Atlantic Margin[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Marine Geomorphology of the Scottish Deep Ocean Seabed[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Marine Geomorphology of the Scottish Shelf Seabed[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Quaternary of Scotland[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Seabed Fluid and Gas Seep[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Submarine Mass Movement[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Habitats[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Habitats Directive Annex I habitats[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Reefs[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Submerged or partially submerged sea caves[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Priority Marine Features[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Species[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Mobile species[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Fish[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Marine birds[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Marine mammals[Reveal Description][Hide Description]

Shellfish and other invertebrates[Reveal Description][Hide Description]