Monitoring and surveillance of a highly variable habitat: The challenge posed by Scottish saline lagoons

The various legal obligations for the monitoring and surveillance of saline lagoons in Scotland are reviewed, in the context of the scale of any actual or potential impacts, the problem of a highly variable water column and biota, and likely cost–benefits. It is concluded that Habitats Directive obligations can be met with a single inventory survey, followed by a ‘light touch’ monitoring programme that targets selected sites for more detailed surveys of particular attributes, based on perceived current or future impact. As the main pressures reported for European lagoons barely affect the habitat in Scotland, it is suggested that Scottish reporting reflects this, avoiding the reporting of ‘unfavourable’ condition when the situation is merely less than ideal.