Moray Firth Special Protection Area for wildlife conservation purposes. The Moray Firth contains a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) designated under the EU Habitats Directive, which is one of the largest Marine Protection Areas in Europe. The SAC protects the inner waters of the Moray Firth, from a line between Lossiemouth (on the south coast) and Helmsdale (on the north coast) westwards. Moray Firth The Moray Firth (; Scottish Gaelic: "An Cuan Moireach", "Linne Mhoireibh" or "Caolas Mhoireibh") is a roughly triangular inlet (or firth) of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of
Pentland Firth only one in this area. Grows to about 2.9 m with an elongated black shell spotted with white, which tapers to a blunt spike. Migrates to UK waters from the tropics in the summer to feed on jellyfish. There are four other species less frequently encountered in UK waters where they usually occur as stray juveniles carried by currents from warmer seas. Pentland Firth The Pentland Firth (, meaning the Orcadian Strait) is a strait which separates the Orkney Islands from Caithness in the north of Scotland. Despite the name, it is not a firth. The name is presumed to