CONSERVATION: DESIGNATION OF SCOTTISH SITES (Hansard, 26 November 1985)

§ Lord Elton

The following sites in Scotland have been designated as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention:

Loch Druidibeg, Loch a Machair and Loch Stilligary
Loch Leven
Loch Lomond
Cairngorm Lochs
Claish Moss
Loch Lintrathen
Silver Flowe
Rannoch Moor.

Loch Druidibeg and the island of Rhum have also been designated special protection areas under the terms of the EC birds directive.

The Nature Conservancy Council is giving high priority to the programme of notifying and re-notifying sites of special scientific interest under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Notification or renotification as an SSSI is an essential preliminary to designation under the Ramsar Convention and the birds directive. Additional resources for the NCC this year and next will maintain the momentum and further designations will be made as the necessary procedures are completed.

There is no formal procedure for informing local planning authorities of sites meeting the criteria for designation under the Ramsar Convention or the birds directive, although the full list of sites proposed by the NCC has been published in another place (Official Report, Commons, 18th July 1985, col. 241).

The following is the list of further sites in Scotland identified by the NCC as meeting the criteria—"R" in accordance with the Ramsar Convention and "B" in accordance with the birds directive:

Hermaness, Unst, Shetland—B
Gruney, Shetland—B
North Fetlar, Shetland—B
North Roe, Mainland, Shetland—R
Papa Stour, Shetland—B
Foula, Shetland—B
Bressay, Shetland—B
Noss, Shetland—B
Fair Isle, Shetland—B
West Westray, Orkney—B
Papa Westray and North Hill, Orkney—B
Marwick Head, Orkney—B
Lochs of Harray, Stenness and Skall, Orkney—R/B
North Hoy, Orkney—B
Copinsay, Orkney—B
Swona, Orkney—B
Pentland Skerries, Orkney—B
Sule Skerry and Stack, Orkney—B
Moray Firth (Eastern part) including Findhorn Bay, Culbin Sands and Nairn Bar, Grampian—R/B
Loch Spynie, Grampian—R/B
Loch of Strathbeg, Grampian—R/B
Ythan Estuary and Sands of Forvie, including Meikle and Slaine Lochs, Grampian—R/B
Loch Insh and Marshes, Highland—R/B
Cairngorms, Highland and Grampian—B
Loch of Skene, Grampian—R/B
Fowlsheugh Cliffs, Grampian—B
Lochnagar, Grampian—B
Caenlochan, Grampian and Tayside—B
Drumochter Hills, Highland—B
Montrose Basin, Tayside—R/B
Forfar Lochs, Lochs Forfar, Rescobie and Balgavies, Tayside—R/B
Loch of Kinnordy, Tayside R/B
Tay-Isla Valley including Monk Myre, Marlee Loch, Stormont Loch, Meikelour and Loch of Clunie, Tayside—R/B
Dupplin Lochs, Tayside—R/B
Drummond Pond and Penny Beg Pong, Tayside—R/B
Carsebrook and Rhynd Lochs, Tayside—R/B
Firth of Tay, Tayside—R/B
Tentsmuir Point, and Abertay Sands, Fife—R/B
Eden Estuary, Fife—R/B
Cameron Reservoir, Fife—R/B
Firth of Forth and Aberlady Bay, Central, Lothian and Fife—R/B
Forth Islands: Inchmickery, Fidra, The Lamb, Eyebroughty and Craighleith, Lothian and Fife—B
Loch Mahaick, Central—R/B
Flanders Moss, Central—R/B
Endrick Mouth, Loch Lomond, Central—R/B
Bass Rock, Lothian—B
Gladhouse Reservoir, Lothian—R/B
Fala Row, Lothian—R/B
Westwater and Baddingsgill Reservoirs, Borders—R/B
Moorfoot Hills, Ettrick, Lauderdale and Tweeddale, Borders—B
St. Abb's Head to East Castle, Borders—B
Greenlaw Moor and Hule Moss, Borders—R/B
Hoselaw Loch, Borders—R/B
North Rona and Sula Sgeir, Western Isles—B
Flannan Isles, Western Isles—B
St. Kilda, Western Isles—B
Shiant Islands, Western Isles—B
Islands in the Sound of Harris, Western Isles—R/B
Loch An Duin, North Uist, Western Isles—R
Monach Islands, Western Isles—B
Howmore Estuary, (Loch Roag and Loch Fada), Western Isles—R
Lochs Hallan and Kilphedder, South Uist, Western Isles—R/B
Islands in the Sound of Barra, Western Isles—R/B
Berneray and Mingulay, Western Isles—B
Stroma, Highland—B
Dunnett Head, Easter Head to Chapel Hill, Highland—B
Blar Nam Faolleag, Highland—R
Strathy Bogs, Highland—R
Caithness Lochs, including Calder, Brubster, Heilen and Meadle, Highland—R/B
Caithness Cliffs, Duncansby Head to Skirza Head, Highland—B
Caithness Cliffs, Wick to Lybster, Highland—B
Caithness Cliffs, Dumbeath to Ord Point including Berriedale, Inver Hill and Badbea Cliffs, Highland—B
Isles at the Mouth of Kyle and Tongue including Rabbit Islands, Highland—R/B
Durness Lochs and Streams (Lochs Croispol, Lanlish and Boralie), Highland—R
Cape Wrath, Aodann Mhor, Highland—B
Handa, Highland—B
Inchnadamph, Highland—B
The Summer Isles, including Priest Island, Highland—B
Loch Fleet, Highland—R
Lower Dornoch Firth, Highland—R/B
Loch Eye, Highland—R/B
Isay, Skye, Highland—R/B
Cromarty Firth, Highland—R/B
Beauly Firth, Highland—R/B
Moray Firth (Western Part) Highland and Grampian—R/B
Loch Morar, Highland—R
Loch Shiel and Kentra Moss, Highland—R/B
Monadhliath, Highland—B
Tiree and Coll, Strathclyde—R/B
Treshnish Isles, Strathclyde—R/B
Islay, Strathclyde—R/B
Inner Clyde, Dumbuck Foreshore, Pillar Bank, Strathclyde—R/B
Rhunahaorine, Strathclyde—R/B
Machrihanish and Tangy Loch, Strathclyde—R/B
Ailsa Craig, Strathclyde—B
Lochylock and Cleuch Reservoirs, Strathclyde—R
Loch Ken and Dee Marshes, Dumfries and Galloway—R/B
White Loch, (Lochinsh), Dumfries and Galloway—B
Upper Solway Flats and Marshes, (North side), including Blackshaw Bank, Nith Merses and Caerlaverock to Southerness Point, Dumfries and Galloway—R/B