Many Caithness people live on or near the coast, and depend on the sea for their livelihood or recreation. Fishing is a primary industry that brings considerable local income, although in some locations there have been difficulties in accommodating all those who want to fish there. It is important that everyone tries to ensure the maintenance of stocks. The Pentland Firth is also an important transport route for freight, and oil exploration and its conveyance brings a continual threat of marine pollution.

There are many difficult issues to be tackled. The oceans are wild areas which we harvest not farm, and the natural environment has a vital role to play in assuring this continued bounty. Although increasing numbers of people are enjoying the marine environment through diving, recreational boating and wildlife boat tours, it remains the most unknown aspect of our environment too easily out of sight and, therefore out of mind.

Caithness has some vast, beautiful and unspoilt stretches of coastline, from the broad, sandy beaches at Dunnet and Reiss to the storm-torn sea cliffs at Duncansby, Dunnet Head and Holburn Head. Unlike much of the rest of the United Kingdom, the Caithness coastline is relatively unmodified, and has a high value not only for biodiversity, but also in terms of landscape, recreation and enjoyment.

The seabed around Caithness is composed mainly of bedrock, sand and gravel. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan classifies this as sublittoral sands and gravels, and the inshore waters of the Moray Firth provide good nursery areas for fish such as sandeels, herring and plaice. There are isolated areas of horse mussel beds around Stroma. In the deeper waters further offshore, deep water mud habitats support many species of crab as well as burrowing shrimp, sea pens and large molluscs.

The Pentland Firth is famous for its tidal rapids, a term used by the UK Biodiversity Group to cover a broad range of high energy environments, including deep tidal streams and tide-swept habitats. With names such as the 'Boars of Duncansby' and the 'Merry Men of Mey', our tidal rapids support characteristic marine communities rich in biodiversity, nourished by food brought on each tide.

Many rare mammals, birds and fish have been sighted or caught in and around Caithness waters. Harbour porpoises, dolphins (including Risso's, bottle-nosed, common, Atlantic white-sided and white-beaked dolphins) and minke and long-finned pilot whales are regularly seen from the shore and boats. Both grey and common seals come close to the shore to feed, rest and raise their pups, and otters can be seen close to river mouths in some of the quieter locations.

Coastal waters are important feeding grounds for breeding seabirds such as puffins, guillemots and razorbills. In winter, the waters around Caithness support coastal populations of long-tailed, goldeneye and eider ducks, and great northern and red throated divers are also regular visitors.

The Pentland Firth and North Sea once offered prime fishing grounds. Common skate, cod, hake, herring, mackerel, plaice, saithe, sole, whiting, monkfish and ling are all caught in inshore waters around Caithness. Occasionally, leatherback turtles have been recorded, having been brought to Scotland on the Gulf Stream Atlantic current.

Caithness lobster V-notching project

North Highland Whale and Dolphin Trail

Dunnet Bay Ranger Pavilion - interpretation and access to beach

Caithness has some beautiful and unspoilt beaches. During migration and winter, large flocks of wading birds such as oystercatcher, ringed plover, redshank, sanderling and dunlin can be seen feeding at low tide. Other shore birds like turnstone and purple sandpiper can also be seen looking for invertebrates among stones and exposed seaweed.

At the top of some beachs, vegetated shingle sometimes has nationally scarce and declining oyster plant and a rare species of eyebright. Behind the sandy beaches there are dune systems, one of which contains the rare Holy grass. Common and arctic terns inhabit some of the quieter coastal locations.

Coastal grasslands and machair (Gaelic for low-lying fertile plains covered in species-rich grassland) occur at Dunnet Links, Sandside Bay, and in small pockets elsewhere around the county. They provide important habitats for a range of plant species including Scottish primrose, and the great yellow bumblebee and small blue butterfly.

These 'soft' coastal habitats are dynamic and mobile. They absorb wave energy, reducing sea's erosive impact. If the sand is removed or the covering vegetation damaged, the buffering effect of the dune system may be lost, exposing the land behind to the forces of the sea.

The Caithness coastline is dominated by tall, impressive cliffs dissected by stony bays and geos (deep incisions at right angles to the cliffs where the sea has excavated along the line of a fault). The Dunnet Head cliffs are home to the nationally rare Killarney fern.

Rock stacks such as at Duncansby and Holburn Head provide nesting ledges for a variety of bird life. From May to August our cliffs are home to a collection of nesting seabirds including puffins, fulmars, kittiwakes, razorbills, guillemots, black guillemots, cormorants and shags. The cormorant population is declining, the only breeding population left in Caithness is at the Ord.

Some of the best remaining examples of maritime heath in Scotland occur along the north and east Caithness coastline at places such as Sandside Head near Reay and along the east coast from Berriedale up to Wick. The rare Scottish primrose can be found along the cliff tops among close cropped maritime heath as well as in coastal grassland. Several rare or scarce eyebright species also live in short grassland close to the coast.

Many farmers have entered into agri-environment schemes to protect coastal grasslands

Lybster Harbour Trust promote paths up from the harbour