EU's largest marine protected area The Scottish Government has
submitted proposals to the EU that include plans for Europe’s
largest marine area of nature conservation in waters west of
Scotland. The designation of Hatton Bank as a Special Area of
Conservation (SAC), located approximately 500 km west of Lewis,
would cover an area of more than 15,000 square kilometres.
Jonathan Hughes, IUCN Regional Councillor for West Europe and
Director of Conservation at Scottish Wildlife Trust, commented:
"The announcement by the Scottish Government and the Joint
Nature Conservation Committee of five candidate Special Areas of
Conservation in the offshore zone around Scotland is welcome
news for what remain some of the most heavily exploited seas in
the world.” “Hatton Bank, a volcanic structure that stretches
almost 500 km and up to 1,000 m in depth, will become the
largest marine protected area in the European Union, helping
safeguard a variety of soft and hard corals including Lophelia
pertusa biogenic reefs.” “Scotland