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Marine Scotland to Manage Sustainable Seas for All

A new marine management body is being created to help Scotland make the most of its seas for future generations.

Marine Scotland, which will be up and running by April 1, will play a key role in managing Scotland’s seas, with direct responsibility for marine science, planning, policy development, management and compliance monitoring measures.

It will work with other partners with marine interests to deliver economic prosperity – including in developing areas such as marine renewables - and environmental sustainability.

Marine Scotland offers better protection to Scotland’s marine environment and will help streamline existing support services. It will deliver a simplified management and regulating system for all marine activities in Scotland.

The current functions of Fisheries Research Services (FRS), the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) and the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate will be brought together in the new organisation, which will work with others to ensure sustainable economic growth from our marine and coastal environments.

It will build on the success of these organisations to deliver a strategic approach to managing Scotland’s seas. A Marine Strategy Board, led by Marine Scotland and involving key partners with marine management interests, will be established to deliver a coherent and focused approach. Marine Scotland will become a Scottish Government Directorate.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead said: “We have been clear from day one that our underlying key purpose is that of sustainable economic growth. The creation of Marine Scotland will help deliver this vision, managing Scotland’s seas for prosperity and environmental sustainability. Marine Scotland will be the champion for our marine environment. We have a unique coastal and marine environment which provides an important natural resource upon which so many communities depend. Our waters are vital to the Scottish economy and support many thousands of jobs, most notably through the oil and gas industry, aquaculture and fishing. Coastal tourism and internationally significant species attract wildlife enthusiasts from around the world. Marine Scotland will combine and co-ordinate the efforts of existing bodies, to ensure we manage Scotland’s seas sustainably and benefit from the rich assets and resources they represent.

“The Scottish Government will shortly bring forward a Marine Bill that will provide a sustainable future for our waters, and build on existing arrangements to provide the foundations for Marine Scotland’s work.”

NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS

1. Marine Scotland will have direct responsibility for core marine functions, which include both the existing functions of the Marine Directorate, FRS (Marine and Freshwater Fisheries), and SFPA, and also planned new functions of marine planning, improved nature conservation measures and better integrated licensing, consents and monitoring arrangements. It will also ensure that the action of all public sector bodies is aligned with Scottish Government’s vision on marine issues.

2. In 2007 the Scottish Parliament’s Environment and Rural Development Committee called for steps towards a single integrated regulatory system for all marine activities in Scotland. In the same year the Advisory Group on Marine and Coastal Strategy recommended that there should be a Scottish Marine Management Organisation with a remit of national co-ordination of integrated coastal zone management and marine spatial planning delivery.

3. As part of the Scottish Government’s simplification programme, announced in January 2008, the First Minister announced that we would bring together marine management functions from across public organisations, into a single body, to better protect Scotland’s marine environment and streamline services which support this vital Scottish industry.

4. The recent (July-October 2008) public consultation on a Scottish Marine Bill has shown strong support for improved marine management arrangements and establishment of a new, integrated body to champion Scotland’s seas. Over 80 per cent of those who responded to this issue in the consultation process agreed with proposals to establish Marine Scotland. The largest group to express a view favoured Marine Scotland being established as part of Scottish Government. This has the advantage of enabling coherent management of the seas with integration of policy alongside delivery functions.