Layer does not contain time values

The National North Sea cod avoidance plan (NCAP) was introduced in 2020. The plan seeks to address two key issues: 1) to support recovery of North Sea cod (now assessed as part of the wider Northern Shelf cod stock) and, 2) to support the fishing industry to manage their quota. This plan mainly focuses on spatial measures to avoid catching an abundance of cod.

A number of seasonal closures became statutory as part of NCAP, and have been retained since. Further seasonal closures and amendments to existing closures were agreed for 2026 and are operational from 1 January 2026. Further information on NCAP, including the seasonal closures and other measures, can be found on the Scottish Government NCAP webpages: UK national North Sea cod avoidance plan - gov.scot.

Real Times Closures (RTCs) and Real Time Reporting (RTR) in particular will help manage quota issues for the fleet.

This plan mainly focuses on spatial measures to avoid catching an abundance of cod. Whilst spatial measures are difficult to quantify, our previous experience of using spatial measures such as RTCs (particularly during the Cod Recovery Plan) demonstrates that such measures can have an observable effect on cod mortality and biomass. 

This layer presents the integrated CO2 storage appraisal ranking across the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). Each hexagon reflects the combined score across all 24 geological intervals assessed, with higher scores indicating areas where multiple intervals may offer storage potential and are therefore prioritised for appraisal.

Based on this analysis, around a third of the UKCS scores above zero. Of those active areas, the majority contain five or more favourable intervals, and more than half contain ten or more. This vertical stacking is strategically significant: it indicates that the highest-ranked areas offer not just a single storage opportunity but a portfolio of appraisal targets within the same geographic footprint. Appraisal of these areas is prioritised as multiple targets help mitigate the risk of over reliance on unproven (for storage) geological intervals. In addition, areas with multiple candidate storage intervals also offer the opportunity to reduce the risk of project failure through back-up storage options within licensed areas. This improves appraisal efficiency and accelerates our understanding of multiple candidate storage intervals.

The dominant intervals vary across the UKCS with the Triassic and Permian offering the greatest potential in southern areas and younger, Eocene and Paleocene, intervals prevalent in central and northern areas. This reflects the underlying geology of the UKCS.

The two thirds of the UKCS that scores zero cannot be interpreted as having no geological potential for subsurface storage. In many cases it reflects limited data, areas that are not yet prioritised in this version of the analysis, or geological conditions that are less favourable for conventional storage types included in the current assessment. However, to support the energy transition and meet our net zero ambitions, these areas are not currently priorities for appraisal for the NSTA.

The UKCS has the geology, data and infrastructure to become a world-leading CO2 storage basin. The NSTA's role is to help make that happen.

As the licensing authority and technical regulator for subsurface CO2 storage on the UKCS, the NSTA is uniquely positioned to drive the identification and development of that resource in a way that delivers for industry and the nation alike.

This tool marks the beginning of a more proactive, evidence-led approach to CO2 storage appraisal across the UKCS. It ranks areas by their relative potential for appraisal activity, indicating where the NSTA sees the strongest early opportunities and where longer-term strategic resources are waiting to be understood.

The analysis is preliminary and will evolve. It will be updated and refined as new data becomes available, methodologies improve and our understanding deepens. In the interest of transparency, the inputs underpinning the analysis are included alongside the results. Any updates will be reflected in the NMPi layer once they become available.

NSTA welcome engagement from operators, developers, planners, policymakers and anyone with an interest in the future of CO2 storage on the UKCS. If you have data, ideas, questions or feedback, please get in touch via correspondence@nstauthority.co.uk. 

Proposed site-specific management measures for Special Protection Areas (SPAs) that informed Option 2 - Proposed Fisheries Management Measures for Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) Management Areas in Scottish Waters Consultation – 2026 

The proposed fisheries management measures have been developed individually for each designation, Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (NCMPAs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACS) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) using the best available scientific evidence on the potential impacts of different types of fishing gear on protected features. The development of these measures involved significant engagement with stakeholders, including the fishing industry and environmental organisations. NCMPAs, SACs and SPAs can be collectively referred to as MPAs. The public consultation on proposed fisheries management measures includes 76 inshore MPAs, forming a key part of the collaborative policy development process. 

The following data has been made available: Proposed site-specific management measures for SPAs that informed Option 2 - Proposed Fisheries Management Measures for Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) Management Areas in Scottish Waters Consultation - 2026 

SPAs - which are protected areas for wild birds listed in Annex 1 of the EU Wild Birds Directive, or for regularly occurring migratory species.  

They are selected using the UK SPA Selection Guidelines, and in Scotland they are classified under the Birds Directive through the following domestic legislation:   

• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) – applies to terrestrial and inshore waters (0–12 nm).  

• The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended in Scotland) – provides the regulatory mechanism for SPA classification and protection within Scottish inshore waters. 

These site-specific management measures may differ from site information in the consultation documentation and on the consultation platform. We have amalgamated some proposed overlapping measures into the MPA maps and highlighted where other possible overlapping measures for specific gear types may occur. When looking at sites individually, where there is an overlap for specific gear types, it  would be the highest proposed measure that could apply in that overlap that would apply. We are hoping to have more intuitive layers available throughout consultation that would show individual polygons with all overlapping information included.  

Proposed site-specific management measures for Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) that informed Option 2 - Proposed Fisheries Management Measures for Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) Management Areas in Scottish Waters Consultation – 2026 

The proposed fisheries management measures have been developed individually for each designation, Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (NCMPAs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACS) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) using the best available scientific evidence on the potential impacts of different types of fishing gear on protected features. The development of these measures involved significant engagement with stakeholders, including the fishing industry and environmental organisations. NCMPAs, SACs and SPAs can be collectively referred to as MPAs. The public consultation on proposed fisheries management measures includes 76 inshore MPAs, forming a key part of the collaborative policy development process. 

The following data has been made available: Proposed site-specific management measures for SACs that informed Option 2 - Proposed Fisheries Management Measures for Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) Management Areas in Scottish Waters Consultation - 2026 

SACs - which are protected areas for habitats and species listed in the EU Habitats Directive, such as reefs and bottlenose dolphin. 

The EU Habitats Directive sets out a requirement for the designation of SACs to protect certain species and habitats listed in Annexes I and II. Since leaving the EU these requirements have been transposed into  regulations which cover Scotland’s land and seas;  

• The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 in relation to Scottish Territorial Waters.   

These site-specific management measures may differ from site information in the consultation documentation and on the consultation platform. We have amalgamated some proposed overlapping measures into the MPA maps and highlighted where other possible overlapping measures for specific gear types may occur. When looking at sites individually, where there is an overlap for specific gear types, it  would be the highest proposed measure that could apply in that overlap that would apply. We are hoping to have more intuitive layers available throughout consultation that would show individual polygons with all overlapping information included.