New marine designations for Orkney waters

February 16, 2022 at 8:32 am

The North Orkney and Scapa Flow special protection areas have now been designated, in to protect rare and vulnerable bird life.

Two bodies of water which, when combined, are larger than the size of Edinburgh and Glasgow, have been designated as marine special protected areas (SPAs).

Scapa Flow and “North Orkney” cover a total are of 529 square kilometres, and they are now designated to protect rare vulnerable migratory wild birds.

Following the announcement on Tuesday, Orkney Islands Council leader James Stockan said that the council had challenged the initial proposals, but that now the designations are more accurate.

However, two councillors, Steve Sankey and John Ross Scott, have now spoken out, criticising the lack of openness and transparency, with Councillor Sankey saying he was “gagged” from going public.

For more information, see this week’s edition of The Orcadian.