Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project (DEEP)  Survey

1.About this survey

We’re inviting you to respond to our short survey to find out what the 'Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project' (DEEP) means to you, to understand what you think about our future plans, and to understand what possible benefits you think it could have for the local community.

DEEP is a partnership project between The Glenmorangie Company, Heriot-Watt University and the Marine Conservation Society which is reintroducing Native European Oysters into the Dornoch Firth to help improve water quality, enhance marine life and demonstrate the carbon storage potential of a restored oyster reef.

By the end of 2022, 60,000 native oysters will have been introduced to the Firth, and our goal is to increase that to 200,000 in the next phase. Our ultimate goal is to work in partnership with the local community to create a self-sustaining reef of 4 million oysters within 5 years.

This survey is being conducted by the Marine Conservation Society on behalf of the DEEP project. We have been proud partners for over nine years, with MCS staff present at the distillery during the summer to help raise awareness of the national and international importance of the Dornoch Firth and what we can all do to help protect it.

Your responses will help us better understand community views and values surrounding this project, and will provide you with the opportunity to share any information you have on the Dornoch Firth which might support us in our next stages.

The results of this survey will be used to inform a licence application that will be made in order for DEEP to deploy 4 million native oysters into the Dornoch Firth. Your responses will give us a better understanding of public opinion on this project, and will support us to meaningfully involve the local community as we move onwards.

Voluntary Participation and Right to Withdraw

Your participation in the survey is voluntary, and all responses will be anonymous. You must be over the age of 18 to participate in this survey. You can stop the survey at any time and will have up to 5 days from completing the survey if you want to withdraw your responses (please use the contact details below to withdraw your data and contact us as soon as possible!).

Description of Research

If you’re happy to participate, this survey will take between 5-10 minutes and the questions are a mix of multiple choice and open questions. You will be asked some basic demographic questions, as well as your views on DEEP.

Benefit of your Involvement

We think it is incredibly important to listen to community views. Your perspective is valuable to us because it helps us understand what this project means to different people. By sharing your opinion with us, you’re helping our work to engage the community to help improve the environmental quality of the Dornoch Firth, providing even more reason to be proud of this beautiful area.

Use of data

Your responses are anonymous and will be stored securely by MCS, where it will be used for this project and may be used to support further MCS work.

Funding and Project Team

This project is funded by The Glenmorangie Company and is being carried out by Heriot-Watt University and Marine Conservation Society. The Marine Conservation Society will store and manage the data.

Contact Details

Tom Bannerman, Marine Conservation Society

Email: tom.bannerman@mcsuk.org

I have read and understood the nature and purpose of this survey and I am happy to participate, with the knowledge that my responses may be used.(Required.)

Yes

4.What best describes your relationship with the Dornoch Firth? (please tick all that apply)(Required.)

Coastal visitor (e.g., beach walker)

Coastal user (e.g., sailor, paddleboarder, swimmer)

Recreational fisherman (all methods)

Commercial fisherman (all methods)

Marine business owner (other than commercial fisheries)

Policy maker/ regulator (influencing marine management)

I don't have a relationship with the Dornoch Firth

Prefer not to say

Other (please specify)

5.Have you previously heard of the Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project (DEEP)?(Required.)

Yes

Not Sure

6.How do you feel about DEEP's goal to deploy 4 million Native European Oysters into the Dornoch Firth as part of DEEP's restoration plan?(Required.)

7.Do you believe any of the below would be a successful outcome of DEEP? (please tick all that apply)(Required.)

The reintroduction of a sustainable native oyster population

The public understand the environmental importance of the Dornoch Firth

There are opportunities for communities to get involved in environmental work

There is better awareness and understanding of oyster populations

Enterprise opportunities (e.g., job creation/ employment)

General community benefits (e.g., education, health and wellbeing from time spent outdoors)

None of the above

Not sure

8.What would you like to see this project do to help your local community? (please tick all that apply)(Required.)

Other - Please share any other ideas on how the project could benefit your community.

9.Do you have any information on the Dornoch Firth that could be relevant for the further deployment of native oysters? If so, please let us know below.

10.Do you have any other comments, questions, or concerns surrounding DEEP? If so, please let us know below.

11.Would you be interested in knowing more about this ongoing project?(Required.)

Yes

12.If you would like to stay updated on how we are using the findings of this survey, please leave your email below.