Sea Lochs

Scotlands Living Landscapes

• Introduction
• How were sea lochs formed
• What’s special about sea lochs?
• Seashore life
• Rocky shores
• Tidal rapids
• Maerl beds
• Brittlestar beds
• Living reefs
• Seabed life
• Floating life
• Mammals
• Birds
• Sea lochs and people
• Fishing
• Seaweed harvesting
• Fish farming
• Tourism
• Ports and harbours
• The importance of sea lochs
• Threats to sea lochs

The importance of sea lochs

Numerous surveys by the Marine Nature Conservation Review and SNH show the amazingly rich and diverse marine life of Scotland’s sea lochs, with some species found only in sea lochs. Of 226 different British habitats and their associated animals and plants, otherwise known as biotopes, 90 have been recorded in Scottish sea lochs including records for over 1,700 species of marine invertebrates and seaweeds.

Sea lochs have communities which are not found elsewhere. In particular the rich marine life in tidal rapids and on deep, sheltered rock together with a wide range of other habitats makes the Scottish sea lochs outstanding areas for marine wildlife. Tidal rapids are rare throughout north east Europe, making those in Scottish sea lochs of international importance.

Scotland’s sea lochs are very special both for wildlife and people and developing a balanced approach to conserving their special features of interest is vitally important for all.

The semi-enclosed nature of sea lochs makes them vulnerable to various impacts particularly accumulation of pollutants. Too much organic material on the seabed will quickly use up available oxygen and in the absence of water currents or waves to supply more oxygenated water the seabed can become anoxic (lacking in oxygen) killing marine wildlife.

Some of the sea loch marine communities including the maerl beds and seapens are particularly sensitive to mechanical disturbance such as trawling, dredging and anchoring.