See also: Hebrides (disambiguation).
| Sea of the Hebrides | |
| Location: | Scotland |
| Coordinates: | 57°N -7°W |
| Type: | Sea |
| Pushpin Map: | Scotland |
The Sea of the Hebrides (gd|An Cuan Barrach, in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic pronounced as /ən̪ˠ ˈkʰuan ˈparˠəx/)[1] is a small and partly sheltered section of the North Atlantic Ocean, indirectly off the southern part of the north-west coast of Scotland. To the east are the mainland of Scotland and the northern Inner Hebrides (including Skye and the Small Isles); to the west are the southern Outer Hebrides islands, principally South Uist, Eriskay, and Barra. To the north is the Little Minch, a channel connecting it with the Minch.[2]
The Sea of the Hebrides forms part of the Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland, as defined by the International Hydrographic Organization,[3] and part of the Seas west of Scotland as far as fisheries management is concerned.
Ending on 30 August 2019, the Scottish Government consulted on a proposal to designate the Sea of the Hebrides a Marine Protected Area (MPA).[4] The designation was confirmed in December 2020.[5] The designated area of the MPA covers 1003900ha, mainly to protect the area's population of basking sharks and minke whales.[6]