HISTORIC MARINE PROTECTED AREAS SCAPA FLOW AND QUEEN OF SWEDEN

Transcription

1 HISTORIC MARINE PROTECTED AREAS SCAPA FLOW AND QUEEN OF SWEDEN STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PRE-SCREENING REPORT 12 FEBRUARY 2019

2 To: SEA Gateway The Scottish Government Area 2-H South Victoria Quay Edinburgh EH6 6QQ A SEA Pre-Screening Report is attached for the plan, programme or strategy (PPS) entitled: Historic Marine Protected Areas Scapa Flow and Queen of Sweden Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005: We consider the above plan qualifies under section 5(4) of the above legislation. This is due to the specific preservation objectives that are attached to the designations and the way in which these may have implications for the management of the environment within these areas. The Responsible Authority is: Historic Environment Scotland Contact: Philip Robertson Heritage Directorate Historic Environment Scotland Room 2.31D, Longmore House Salisbury Place Edinburgh EH9 1SH philip.robertson@hes.scot

3 Responsible Authority: Historic Environment Scotland (HES) Title of the plan: Historic Marine Protected Areas Scapa Flow and Queen of Sweden What is the purpose of the plan? The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 includes powers to conserve Scotland s outstanding marine environment through a system of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Historic MPAs can be used to designate marine historic assets of national importance for example historic shipwrecks. Historic MPAs are now in force across Scotland s territorial waters, providing statutory protection for some of Scotland s most significant historic wreck sites. The purpose of the plan is to set out the historical background to the marine historic assets, their cultural significance and its preservation objectives and management advice within decision making contexts, for example, through the marine planning system. What prompted the plan? Scapa Flow: In 2001, our former organisation, Historic Scotland, recognised seven wrecks of the German High Seas Fleet, scuttled in Scapa Flow in June 1919, as nationally important scheduled monuments. In 2012, Historic Scotland indicated its intention to review and replace protection for these sites with Historic MPA status (as had already happened with other marine sites which were previously scheduled) and to consider protection for any other priority wartime underwater sites in Scapa Flow. Since 2001 we have supported various survey projects to record the remains of this heritage and to underpin a review of the designation. We have now completed our assessment of the surviving remains and consider that many of the sites recorded through the surveys meet the criterion of national importance for designation as a Historic MPA. The proposal concerns places within Scapa Flow where the remains of historic shipwrecks and other structures of national importance are located that originate from Scapa Flow s role as a Royal Navy base during the First ( ) and Second World Wars ( ), as the anchorage where the German Imperial Navy s High Seas Fleet was interned in 1918, scuttled on 21 June 1919, and where a major programme of marine salvage took place during the years , and 1956 to the late 1970s. Queen of Sweden: Historic Environment Scotland was first asked to consider designation of this wreck by a member of the public in April We commissioned a field assessment by Wessex Archaeology which took place in August We have now completed our assessment of the wreck as a proposed Historic Marine

4 Protected Area, and consider that the wreck of Queen of Sweden meets the criterion of national importance for designation as a Historic MPA. The proposal concerns a wrecked vessel, believed to be the Drottningen af Swerige, or Queen of Sweden, a Swedish East Indiaman (an armed merchant sailing vessel of the Swedish East India Company) which hit a rock off the rocky headland of the Knab, while seeking shelter in Bressay Sound, Shetland on 12 January The remains lie at a depth of approximately 14-25m below chart datum close to Twageos Point, at the southern entrance to Lerwick Harbour. What is the plan subject and its period of coverage? The plan primarily relates to the historic environment / cultural heritage. The preservation objectives would come into effect from the point of designation onwards or until reviewed. What area does the plan cover? Scapa Flow: An area of sea amounting to km 2 within Scapa Flow in Orkney for the purpose of preserving marine historic assets of national importance which are located within the area. The proposed designation includes an area of seabed where seven wrecks of the German High Seas Fleet are located that are currently designated as scheduled monuments. The precise boundaries of the designated area will be subject to public consultation and may change. Queen of Sweden: An area of sea close to Twageos Point, at the southern entrance to Lerwick Harbour. The precise boundaries of the designated area will be subject to public consultation and may change. Summary and nature of the plan: The plan will set out: The background and purpose of Historic MPAs A summary of the vessel or area affected A statement of national importance References, maps and historical information Preservation objectives (preservation objectives for a Historic MPA serve to guide the management of these important sites according to the specific needs of individual areas). Management advice (this section aims to set out the basis for operational advice by Historic Environment Scotland in relation to both the proposed Scapa Flow and Queen of Sweden Historic MPAs, and to explain what the implications of designation will be for developments/activities within the protected areas and nearby for example, construction/extraction/dumping, commercial fisheries, recreational diving and archaeological investigation. This information and advice will be kept under review).

5 Historic Environment Scotland s determination: The preservation objectives for both the Scapa Flow and Queen of Sweden Historic MPAs are focused around maintaining the extent of survival of marine historic assets in situ and maintaining site condition. Some additional objectives have been included in order to set out those instances where the recovery of marine historic assets (in whole or part) may be acceptable and to restrict commercial exploitation of marine historic assets for trade or speculation. No marine conservation orders are proposed. With regard to the criteria specified in Schedule 2 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 and in light of the nature of the preservation objectives and management advice for these Historic MPAs we consider that the plan will have no or minimal environmental effects. Accordingly, it is the view of Historic Environment Scotland that, under Section 7 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, a strategic environmental assessment is not required. Historic Environment Scotland 12 February 2019

6 Historic Environment Scotland Longmore House, Salisbury Place Edinburgh EH9 1SH T Scottish Charity No: SCO45925 VAT Number: GB Historic Environment Scotland