Marine Historic Environment

The seabed makes up almost 50% of Scotland (out to 12 nautical miles offshore). Throughout history, Scotland’s coasts and seas have provided a source of food and energy, a means of defence from invasion, and a springboard for trade and communication between neighbouring communities and across oceans. As a result, a wide range of archaeological sites can be found on the foreshore and seabed.

Scotland's marine historic environment

Scotland’s marine historic environment comprises:

• remains of ships and aircraft lost at sea
• harbours, lighthouses and other structures relating to transport and trade by sea
• remains of human settlement at the coastal fringe. In some cases, sites may now be underwater as a result of changes in sea level
  

Although these sites are out of sight for most of us, Historic Scotland’s policy is that, so far as is possible, the nation’s underwater heritage should be managed, protected and investigated as carefully and thoroughly as its terrestrial equivalent.

Live issues

In 2008, Scottish Ministers consulted on proposals to protect nationally important marine historic as part of new marine legislation to provide a framework to balance competing demands on Scotland's seas. The Marine (Scotland) Act received Royal Assent on 10 March 2010 and further information can be found here.

As a first step towards publication in 2011 of an agency strategy for the protection, management and promotion of marine heritage, Historic Scotland have published a discussion paper in association with the Built Environment Forum of Scotland (BEFS). We have now also published a draft strategy for 2011-16 [pdf] and guidelines for selection, designation, and management of Historic Marine Protected Areas [pdf]. When it is finalised, the implementation of the strategy will contribute to the vision for ‘clean, healthy, safe, productive, biologically diverse marine and coastal environments, managed to meet the long-term needs of people and nature’ and high level marine objectives for the UK.

In the meantime, Marine Scotland, SEPA, Scottish Natural Heritage and Historic Scotland have agreed a framework for close and effective co-operation amongst the key public bodies in Scotland with a national remit, in order to help turn the marine vision into reality.