Management Scheme Review 2008

Background

The SAC Management Scheme for bottlenose dolphins was developed during 1998-2001 as part of the Moray Firth LIFE Project. The MFP secured the funds for the Project Officer that coordinated this work and additional costs of consulting and publishing the scheme. We have since used the Scheme as an example of good practice in involving stakeholders and environmental management.


Since the LIFE project, sandbanks have been added to the SAC and the Management Scheme and Revision 1 was produced in 2003. The SAC Management Group have continued to implement and monitor progress on the Scheme and in 2006, acknowledged the need for a further revision of the actions and a much simpler Scheme. The Management Scheme no longer has a project officer and the MFP provide the administration of SAC Management Group meetings. Jim McKie, Fisheries Research Services Marine Lab, is the present Chair.


Following a period of fundraising by the MFP and the Management Group, funding was secured from Reach Petroleum, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, The Highland Council and Fisheries Research Services to undertake Revision 2.


The aims of the Project are to review the “Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation Management Scheme” Revision 1, 2003 in order to ensure that an effective management scheme is in place for the Moray Firth SAC. Following the review, this will be entitled the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation Management Scheme, Revision 2, 2008.

The latest
The first step in the one-year process to review the Action Plan was a lively full day workshop held at the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency offices in Dingwall for the SAC management group at the end of October 2007.


The workshop started with an evaluation of the current Management Scheme process and the lessons learned to be applied to the new scheme. The main focus was on reviewing the actions within the current plan, including agreement to remove actions which are complete, redundant or achieved by other means, an initial prioritisation exercise, and proposals for new actions required.


The first stage draft will be ready by mid February 2008 for consideration at the next SAC MG meeting, before going out to wider consultation.

The Revision is due for completion by September 2008.