Knowledge of the marine environment Part 1 12 Natural Heritage Trends: The Seas Around Scotland 2004 Knowledge and enjoyment1

The ruggedness and relatively unspoilt nature of the Scottish coastline is a major tourist attraction that contributes significantly to both national and local economies. Excursions to view wildlife in natural surroundings are increasingly popular. Marine wildlife tourism in Scotland generated revenues of some £57 million and provided around 2,670 full-time jobs in 1996 (Masters, 1998). Whale-watching may account for up to 12 % of local tourism revenue (Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, 2001). Education and raising public awareness can be added benefits. Nevertheless, wildlife tourism remains, for the most part, underdeveloped. A future programme of coordinated and sustainable tourism development, with due regard to the balance between access and conservation, could provide important socio-economic benefits for coastal communities. This might, for example, be achieved by integrating a strategy for the development of marine wildlife tourism with the management of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC