Editing Firth of Clyde (section)

==Nature and conservation==
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Clyde Sill MPA(NC)
| photo = 
| photo_caption = 
| location = Firth of Clyde, Scotland
| nearest_city = 
| map_image = Clyde Sill MPA.png
| map_caption = Location and extent of the Clyde Sill MPA in the Firth of Clyde
| coordinates = 
| area_km2 = 712
| area_ref = <ref name=snh/>
| established = 2014
| visitation_num = 
| visitation_year = 
| designation = [[Scottish Government]]
| operator = [[Marine Scotland]]
}}

The [[FSC Millport|Field Studies Council]] has a marine research station, based in [[Millport, Cumbrae|Millport]], on the island of [[Great Cumbrae]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.field-studies-council.org/locations/millport/|title=Millport – Field Studies Council}}</ref>

[[Common seal]]s and [[grey seal]]s abound in the Firth. [[Harbour porpoise]]s are also common. While [[dolphin]]s are much less common, some were spotted in the upper reaches of the Firth in the summer of 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16604199.firth-clyde-dolphin-found-communicate-porpoises/|title=Firth of Clyde dolphin found to communicate with porpoises|date=29 August 2018|website=The Herald}}</ref> Very uncommon are [[humpback whale]]s, as are the [[minke whale]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moment humpback whale leaps out of water in Clyde leaving onlookers stunned |url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/other/moment-humpback-whale-leaps-out-of-water-in-clyde-leaving-onlookers-stunned/ar-BB1nKpTX |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=www.msn.com}}</ref> Even rarer are [[orca]]s.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-43850827|title=Orca pod spotted in River Clyde|work=BBC News }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12275073.surprise-visit-to-clyde/|title=Surprise visit to Clyde|date=11 August 1999|website=The Herald}}</ref>

Also, in 2005, the Firth had the second-highest number of [[basking shark]] sightings in Scotland (after [[the Minch]]).  These huge sharks seem to particularly favour the warm, shallow waters surrounding [[Pladda]], south of [[Isle of Arran|Arran]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-41333331|title=Survey to catalogue basking sharks in the Clyde|date=20 September 2017|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

However, although commercial fishing was at one time intensive in the Firth's many fishing towns, today the only catches of commercial interest remaining in the Clyde waters are [[prawn]]s, [[Homarus gammarus|lobsters]], [[herring]], mussels, and crayfish.

===Conservation===
[[File:Cetorhinus maximus atlantic.jpg|thumb|[[Basking shark]] (''Cetorhinus maximus'']]

{{See also|Marine Protected Areas in Scotland}}

On 5 September 2000, the [[Inner Clyde Estuary]] received a [[RAMSAR]] designation.  Site number: 1036.  The area covered is {{convert|1825|ha|}}.  (Coordinates: 55°56'32"N 04°36'32"W)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS) |url=https://jncc.gov.uk/jncc-assets/RIS/UK13024.pdf |website=jncc.gov.uk}}</ref><ref name="auto2"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Annotated List of Wetlands of International Importance - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/rsiswp_search/exports/Ramsar-Sites-annotated-summary-United-Kingdom-of-Great-Britain-and-Northern-Ireland.pdf |website=rsis.ramsar.org}}</ref>

In September 2008, Scotland's first No Take Zone (NTZ) was introduced in [[Lamlash|Lamlash Bay]], on the [[Isle of Arran]]. The result of a community effort, led by the [[Community of Arran Seabed Trust|Community of Arran Seabed Trust (C.O.A.S.T)]].  The NTZ was introduced to protect delicate marine communities, such as [[Maerl]]. Maerl is a slow-growing coral-like calcareous red algae (it grows only 1&nbsp;mm per year) and is an important Scottish species. Maerl beds are locations of high biodiversity and are crucial nursery grounds for both young scallops and young fish. Studies show that both scallop dredging and organic waste from fish farms, significantly impact Maerl. Scallop dredging on a Maerl bed has been found to kill over 70% of the Maerl. Monitoring the dredged bed over the next four years found no discernible recovery, suggesting that Maerl beds would require many years free of disturbance in order to recover.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arrancoast.com/|title=Home|website=COAST}}</ref><ref name="europarc.org"/>

In 2014, {{convert|71200|ha|km2}} at the south of the Firth between [[Kintyre|Kintyre Peninsula]] and the [[Rhins of Galloway]], on the [[North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland)|North Channel]] boundary.  Designated a Marine Protected Area, the '''(Clyde Sill MPA)''', the [[NatureScot]] Site Code is 10414, the [[EU]] Site Code is 555560461.<ref name=snh>{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/10414|title=Clyde Sill MPA(NC)|access-date=7 October 2020|publisher=NatureScot}}</ref> The MPA covers a distinctive sill where fresher water of the Firth mixes with the cooler, more saline water of the North Channel. This is a rich environment for plankton, which provide food for fish, that are in turn eaten by higher marine predators and seabirds.<ref name=leaflet>{{cite web|url=https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/2017-11/Marine%20Protected%20Area%20-%20Site%20Summary%20-%20Clyde%20Sea%20Sill.pdf|title=Clyde Sea Sill Marine Protected Area|access-date=7 October 2020|publisher=NatureScot|archive-date=10 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010050942/https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/2017-11/Marine%20Protected%20Area%20-%20Site%20Summary%20-%20Clyde%20Sea%20Sill.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 16 December 2015, an area to the south of [[Isle of Arran|Arran]] received a Marine Protected Area designation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2015/437/made|title=The South Arran Marine Conservation Order 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Protected Areas in the Clyde Marine Region |url=https://www.clydemarineplan.scot/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Protected-areas-in-the-Clyde-Marine-Region.pdf |website=www.clydemarineplan.scot}}</ref>

===Water quality===

The water quality of the Firth is monitored by the [[Scottish Environment Protection Agency]] (SEPA).  SEPA have had a monitoring buoy located off the coast of [[Dunoon]] since 2009, with data collected every 15 minutes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/environmental-data/monitoring-buoys-network/dunoon/|title=Dunoon &#124; Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)|website=www.sepa.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Firth of Clyde monitoring buoy, Dunoon |url=https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/162917/dunoon-monitoring-buoy-factsheet.pdf |website=www.sepa.org.uk}}</ref>