Protected areas

SEPA has established, and will continue to maintain, a register of protected areas.

The register will help to ensure that water bodies in these designated areas are managed and that they achieve the objectives required by the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Water Environment (Register of Protected Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

Areas designated as requiring special protection and/or conservation include:

  • Areas designated to protect economically significant species
    These protected areas were established under earlier European directives aimed at protecting shellfish (79/923/EEC) and freshwater fish (78/659/EEC).

  • Bathing waters
    Previously designated under the Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC), these waters are now covered by the revised Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC) which will be enacted in the UK by regulations in 2008.

  • Nutrient sensitive areas
    These comprise nitrate vulnerable zones and polluted waters designated under the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) and areas designated as sensitive areas under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC).


    Information on how we monitor nitrates

  • Areas designated for the protection of habitats or species
    These are areas previously designated for the protection of habitats or species where maintaining or improving the status of water is important for their protection. They comprise the aquatic part of Natura 2000 sites designated under the Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) and the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC).

  • Waters used for the abstraction of drinking water
    These are protected areas designated under the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) that were previously protected by the Surface Water Abstraction Directive (75/440/EEC) (which was repealed on 22/12/2007).

The register consists of a list of sites and a set of maps showing the relevant protected areas in the Scotland and Solway Tweed river basin districts.

Maps are listed in the table below.

Description Scotland river basin district Solway Tweed river basin district
Nutrient sensitive areas pdf link (175k) pdf link (238k)
Economically significant species and bathing waters pdf link (643k) pdf link (677k)
Water dependent conservation areas pdf link (656k) pdf link (401k)
Drinking water protected areas Scottish Government website external link -