http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2003/3/section/7/2011-04-22Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003An Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provision for protection of the water environment, including provision for implementing European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/60/EC; to amend the Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968 and the Water (Scotland) Act 1980 in relation to the provision of water and sewerage services; and for connected purposes.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2024-01-17Expert Participation2011-04-22 Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003s. 23(5)Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014sch. 3 para. 8(6)(b)s. 61(2) Part 1 Chapter 271SEPA must, for each river basin district—aby 22nd December 2004 prepare, andbthereafter maintain,a register of the protected areas lying (whether wholly or partly) within the district in accordance with regulations made by the Scottish Ministers.2Such regulations may, in particular, make provision as to—athe form and manner in which the register is to be prepared and maintained,bthe information which the register is to contain.3In this section, “protected areas” means—aany bodies of water identified under section 6, andbthe areas and bodies of water falling within subsection (4).4The areas and bodies of water falling within this subsection are those for the time being designated or otherwise identified as requiring special protection under any EU instrument providing for the protection of surface water and groundwater or for the conservation of habitats or species directly depending on water, or any enactment implementing such a EU instrument, including, in particular—aareas designated for the protection of economically significant aquatic species,bbodies of water designated as recreational waters,cnutrient-sensitive areas, anddareas designated for the protection of habitats or species where the maintenance or improvement of the status of water is an important factor in the protection of the habitats or species.5The Scottish Ministers may by regulations make such further provision for identifying, or enabling the identification of, the areas and bodies of water falling within subsection (4) as they consider necessary or expedient, including provision for identifying any of those areas or bodies of water by reference to—asuch EU instruments, or enactments implementing such instruments, as are specified in the regulations,bsuch other criteria as may be specified in the regulations.6SEPA must make the register available, at all reasonable times, for public inspection free of charge.S. 7 in force at 15.12.2003 by S.S.I. 2003/562, art. 2(a)Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) (2.1.2004) by Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (Northumbria River Basin District) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/3245), regs. 1(1), 6 (as amended (10.4.2017) by S.I. 2017/407, reg. 1(a), Sch. 4 para. 1(4) (with reg. 1(c))Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) (10.2.2004) by Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (Solway Tweed River Basin District) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/99), regs. 1(1), 5(1), Sch. 4 (with reg. 5(2))Word in Act substituted (22.4.2011) by The Treaty of Lisbon (Changes in Terminology) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1043), arts. 2, 3, 6 (with art. 3(2)(3), 4(2), 6(4)(5))