The Minch
The Minch (Scottish Gaelic An Cuan Sgìth/Cuan na Hearadh), also called The North Minch, is a strait in north-west Scotland, separating the north-west Highlands, and the northern Inner Hebrides, from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides. The Lower Minch (an Cuan Canach), also called The Little Minch, is to the south and separates Skye from the lower Outer Hebrides: North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Barra etc. It opens into the Sea of the Hebrides. The combination of the Minch, the Sea of the Hebrides, and a stretch reaching Ireland constitutes the Inner Seas [of the West coast of Scotland] (IHO Spec. Pub. S-23 (3rd ed, 1953), Limits of Oceans and Seas, #18; also Draft 4th ed., 1986), also known as the Inner Scottish Sea.
The Minch ranges from 20 to 45 miles (30 to 70 km) wide and is approximately 70 miles (110 km) long. The Lower Minch is about 15 miles (25 km) wide.
The Minch Project is a collaboration of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the Highland Council and the Scottish Natural Heritage which aims to reduce pollution, minimise erosion, minimise litter and promote tourism —in particular wildlife tourism such as dolphin watching— in the Minch. Pollution is a particular concern as the Minch is a busy shipping lane —two and a half million tonnes of shipping pass through the channel each month.
Commercial ferry services across the Minch are operated by Caledonian MacBrayne.
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