Draft marine and coastal restoration plan: strategic environmental assessment environmental report

3 Approach to the Assessment

3.1 Purpose of the Assessment

3.1.1 The purpose of the SEA is to assess the potential for likely significant environmental effects (positive or negative) that may arise from the Plan. Undertaking this SEA allows corresponding mitigation measures to be identified where necessary and highlights opportunities for enhancement in cases where positive effects are likely.

3.1.2 This SEA provides a high-level qualitative assessment of the potential environmental effects that are likely to result from the Plan (Section 3.5). This SEA builds on previous and ongoing SEAs that have been undertaken by the Scottish Government (Section 3.6).

3.1.3 The SEA identifies positive and negative effects and assesses the individual and cumulative effects of the Plan on the SEA topics that are scoped into the assessment (Section 3.2). At a cumulative level the assessment considers the proposals in relation to other relevant plans, programmes, or strategies (Section 3.7).

3.1.4 The assessment also considers the effects on a series of key statements (‘SEA objectives’). These objectives reflect the scope of the assessment as well as the environmental protection objectives from relevant legislation (Section 3.5).

3.1.5 Recognising duties under Section 14 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021^[39], the SEA also considers the duty on Scottish Ministers to have due regard to the guiding principles on the environment as a result of the Plan and record how due regard has been given to the principles in preparing this Environmental Report. The guiding principles on the environment are set out in Section 13 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 and include:

a) the principle that protecting the environment should be integrated into the making of policies;

b) the precautionary principle as it relates to the environment;

c) the principle that preventative action should be taken to avert environmental damage;

d) the principle that environmental damage should as a priority be rectified at source; and

e) the principle that the polluter should pay.

3.2 Scope of the Plan to be assessed

3.2.1 An overview of the Plan and its scope is set out in Section 2.1. The five themes within the Plan (and associated objectives and actions) are the focus of assessment in this Environmental Report.

3.2.2 The potential economic and social impacts that may result from the implementation of the Plan do not form part of the scope of this SEA. Additional assessments may be undertaken, as appropriate, to help estimate the socio-economic benefits, costs, and risks associated with the Plan.

3.3 Scope of the Assessment

3.3.1 The scope was focused on the potential positive environmental effects of the Plan in terms of supporting the acceleration of ecosystem restoration and regeneration in Scotland (e.g., increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration benefits, and social and well-being benefits as a result of active restoration), any cumulative effects arising from interactions with other comparable policy, and potential negative environmental effects on other habitats/species resulting from the displacement of activities.

3.3.2 The scope of the assessment has been undertaken with consideration of the environmental topics set out in the 2004 Regulations^[40]. A review of these topics suggests that potentially significant effects would focus on Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna; Population and Human Health (social and well-being); Soil (benthic (seabed) substrates and habitats); Water; Climatic Factors (including marine carbon sequestration/ blue carbon processes); Material Assets (potential effects to existing built infrastructure if modified for restoration purposes); Cultural Heritage; and Landscape/Seascape (visual amenity and coastal character above the surface of the water).

3.3.3 The rationale for scoping in and out each of the SEA topics is set out below.

Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna – Scoped In

3.3.4 The Plan directly relates to biodiversity, seeking to realise the potential for active restoration to contribute to a reversal of biodiversity decline in the Scottish marine environment. Effective marine restoration projects have the potential for direct environmental benefits to the habitats and species they focus on. There is also the potential for wider ecosystem benefits such as carbon sequestration and impacts on species which use habitats being restored (e.g., as spawning or nursery habitat).

3.3.5 Marine restoration projects could have unintended negative effects on biodiversity. This could result directly from the activity, for example by impacting or altering seabed habitats, or effects on non-target species, or the accidental introduction of INNS. In instances where marine restoration activities are not compatible with other human activities, the displacement of these existing human activities as a result of the implementation of restoration projects could also have negative effects on biodiversity.

Population and Human Health – Scoped In

3.3.6 Recognising the positive social and wellbeing effects that can be associated with nature restoration (and to consider whether there could be any unintended negative effects), this topic has been scoped into this SEA.

3.3.7 If there is any potential for socio-economic impacts from the Plan, then additional assessments may be undertaken, as appropriate, to help estimate the socio-economic benefits, costs, and risks associated with the Plan.

Soil – Scoped In

3.3.8 For the purposes of this SEA, this topic includes benthic (seabed) substrates.

3.3.9 The Plan could help Scotland’s marine waters achieve and maintain ‘Good Environmental Status’, as per Marine Strategy Regulations 2010 criteria. The Plan could potentially contribute to the objectives of River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs), if it identifies actions relating to restoration activities in transitional, coastal water bodies or inland waters, where these are considered appropriate to support the marine environment.

3.3.10 This topic is considered under ‘Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna’.

Water – Scoped In

3.3.11 The Plan could help Scotland’s marine waters achieve and maintain GES. The Plan could potentially contribute to the objectives of RBMPs, if it identifies actions relating to restoration activities in transitional, coastal water bodies or inland waters, where these are considered appropriate to support the marine environment.

3.3.12 This topic is considered under ‘Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna’.

Air – Scoped Out

3.3.13 This topic is scoped out as no significant environmental impacts on air quality are anticipated from the Plan.

Climatic Factors – Scoped In

3.3.14 Marine restoration may result in potential benefits for climate change mitigation and adaptation, if activities relate to habitats and species associated with marine carbon sequestration/blue carbon processes.

3.3.15 This topic is considered under ‘Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna’.

Material Assets – Scoped In

3.3.16 Consideration of material assets in the SEA covers a wide variety of assets and resources, including built assets such as infrastructure relating to coastal defence. Depending on the characteristics of a restoration project, existing built structures could be modified or removed for restoration purposes. For example, the breaching of sea walls to allow managed realignment or retreat of coastal wetlands. Material assets has therefore been scoped into the assessment. Modification of structures with a different primary purpose to restoration (for example, modification of infrastructure development to achieve ‘nature inclusive design’) are considered outside the scope of the Plan and therefore this topic.

Cultural Heritage – Scoped In

3.3.17 As a maritime nation, Scotland has strong cultural and historical links with the marine environment. This topic is therefore scoped into the assessment, to allow for consideration of potential positive or negative environmental effects on marine historic environment features.

Landscape/Seascape – Scoped In

3.3.18 This topic is scoped in to allow for consideration of potential positive and negative environmental effects on landscape/seascape.

3.3.19 Consultation Authority responses on the Screening and Scoping Report (see Section 7, Appendix A) have been reviewed and where appropriate have been built into the scope and methodology of the assessments. For example, based on the consultation responses received, the SEA topics of Population and Human Health and Material Assets have been included in the scope of the assessment. SEA objectives have also been refined in response to the advice received from Consultation Authorities.

3.4 Consideration of Reasonable Alternatives

3.4.1 In accordance with the 2004 Regulations, there is a requirement to consider reasonable alternatives that fulfil the objective of the Plan as part of the SEA. A high level assessment of the potential environmental effects that may arise from the below reasonable alternatives are considered:

• “Do nothing”, i.e. a Marine and Coastal Restoration Plan is not introduced; and
• The decision to pursue regulatory reform.

3.4.2 Whilst the reasonable alternative for regulatory reform is specific to the regulatory reform theme within the Plan, the “do nothing” alternative will be considered for each of the five themes.

3.5 Assessment Methodology

Assessment of potential effects

3.5.1 Based on the available data and strategic nature of SEAs, a high level and qualitative desk-based assessment of potential likely significant effects of the Plan and reasonable alternatives has been undertaken which compares the potential impacts against the receiving (baseline) environment.

3.5.2 The assessment of potential positive likely significant effects has considered how environmental pressures will reduce and how environmental gains can be achieved as a result of the Plan and/or reasonable alternatives. The assessment has involved gathering evidence-based assumptions on potential positive or negative environmental impacts on the wider environment before describing those effects identified.

3.5.3 The assessment draws on a number of different sources of information, including:

• Spatial information, such as that gathered using Scottish Government’s Geographic Information System (GIS);
• Monitoring information from previous or ongoing strategies and plans that relates to the Plan;
• The results of any previous SEA work that is directly/ indirectly applicable to the Plan; and
• Published guidance from other UK Government or associated bodies.

3.5.4 The key potential environmental effects or impact pathways that are likely to arise from the Plan are as follows:

• Potential positive effects from restoration projects; and
• Potential negative effects resulting from the potential accidental introduction of INNS, and the displacement of activities from regions of restoration projects into new areas and the intensification of activities in areas where these activities already occur.

3.5.5 The assessment of positive effects to marine habitats and species has considered in generic terms how environmental gains may be achieved as a result of the adoption of the Plan and reasonable alternatives.

3.5.6 For the assessment of negative environmental effects, a high-level qualitative review of activities that might be displaced and the potential implications of that displacement on the marine environment has been undertaken.

3.5.7 The assessment has included consideration of the potential for cross border (within the UK) and transboundary effects on EU Member States as a result of activities being displaced to areas outwith Scottish jurisdiction.

Assessment criteria

3.5.8 It is not possible to undertake a spatial analysis of site-specific information to determine the potential scale/magnitude of the effects from the Plan, because the Plan does not focus on specific locations. Therefore, for the purposes of this assessment, only indicative criteria to define the nature or type of potential effects that may result from the Plan and reasonable alternatives have been used (i.e. positive (+), negative (-) or neutral (n)).

SEA objectives

3.5.9 The potential implications of the Plan and reasonable alternatives have also been assessed against SEA objectives. The SEA objectives that have been applied in this assessment are presented below and summarised in Table 1.

• Biodiversity, Flora, and Fauna

(1) Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration, to support achievement of the SBS vision for 2045;

(2) Enhance marine and coastal habitats, species and ecosystems;

(3) Promote climate change mitigation;

(4) Contribute to maintaining or achieving GES of the marine environment;

(5) Contribute to ‘Good Ecological Status’ of water bodies that fall under the scope of the Plan; and

(6) Support resilience of Scotland’s biodiversity to the potential effects of climate change (adaptation).

• Soil

(1) Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration, to support achievement of the SBS vision for 2045;

(2) Enhance marine and coastal habitats, species and ecosystems;

(3) Promote climate change mitigation;

(4) Contribute to maintaining or achieving GES of the marine environment;

(5) Contribute to ‘Good Ecological Status’ of water bodies that fall under the scope of the Plan; and

(6) Support resilience of Scotland’s biodiversity to the potential effects of climate change (adaptation).

• Water

(1) Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration, to support achievement of the SBS vision for 2045;

(2) Enhance marine and coastal habitats, species and ecosystems;

(3) Promote climate change mitigation;

(4) Contribute to maintaining or achieving GES of the marine environment;

(5) Contribute to ‘Good Ecological Status’ of water bodies that will fall under the scope of the Plan; and

(6) Support resilience of Scotland’s biodiversity to the potential effects of climate change (adaptation).

• Climatic Factors

(1) Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration, to support achievement of the SBS vision for 2045;

(2) Enhance marine and coastal habitats, species and ecosystems;

(3) Promote climate change mitigation;

(4) Contribute to maintaining or achieving GES of the marine environment;

(5) Contribute to ‘Good Ecological Status’ of water bodies that will fall under the scope of the Plan; and

(6) Support resilience of Scotland’s biodiversity to the potential effects of climate change (adaptation).

• Cultural Heritage

(7) Support the conservation/ enhancement of cultural and historical heritage associated with the marine environment.

• Landscape/Seascape

(8) Minimise negative landscape/seascape character and/or visual impacts; and

(9) Support enhancement of marine and coastal ecosystems.

• Population and Human Health

(10) Supporting the physical health, mental health and wellbeing benefits for people from nature;

(11) Reducing risk of harm to people from natural hazards, including storms, flooding and coastal erosion; and

(12) Limiting the human health impacts of water pollution.

• Material Assets

(13) Consideration of impacts to existing infrastructure (e.g. formal flood defences) to aid in environmental enhancement.

Table 1 SEA topics and corresponding SEA objectives

SEA Topic	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
Biodiversity, Flora, and Fauna	X	X	X	X	X	X
Soil	X	X	X	X	X	X
Water	X	X	X	X	X	X
Climatic Factors	X	X	X	X	X	X
Cultural Heritage							X
Landscape/Seascape								X	X
Population and Human Health										X	X	X
Material Assets													X

A description of the SEA objectives that the numbers relate to are contained in Section 3.5.9.

Clarifying enhancement terms

3.5.10 The importance of agreeing the terms for the outcomes of habitat restoration and creation measures has been widely acknowledged across the devolved administrations in recent years. Each country has recognised the need to ensure that there is a clear and common language for all those involved in habitat ‘enhancement’, ‘restoration’ and ‘creation’. This has resulted in new guidance being produced by NatureScot^[41], Natural Resources Wales (NRW)^[42] and Natural England^[43].

3.5.11 In 2022, NRW produced a concise and clear review of the terms used in Wales for marine and coastal enhancement⁴². This built upon the text and principles set out in a comparable and preceding review by NatureScot (latest issue dated 2024)^[44]. Natural England also produced a guidance document in April 2024 which provided definitions and descriptions^[45]. These studies are now useful for clarifying terms which describe the high-level motives for measures.

3.5.12 In line with the findings of these studies, terms and definitions for habitat and species enhancement used in this SEA are presented below:

• enhancement: The overarching term used to describe activities that aim to improve the quality, size or geographic distribution of a habitat or species.
• recovery: Actions taken to enable a habitat or species to overcome damage, or other disturbance, and reach a better state rather than trying to “turn the clock back”. This generally involves removing pressures and allowing the habitat to recover naturally.

3.5.13 As the scope of the Plan was developed, restoration was defined in the context of the Marine and Coastal Restoration Plan. As such, the focus of the Plan is active restoration which is defined as follows:

• active restoration encompasses the (re)creation of habitat and (re)introduction of species. Active restoration is when habitats or species are added to the environment. Examples of active restoration include, but are not limited to:
  • seagrass planting;
  • seeding oysters or other shellfish;
  • sand dune replenishment or vegetation planting to stabilise coastal dunes;
  • provision of suitable substrate for kelp forests; and
  • seabird reintroduction

3.5.14 In developing the Plan, it has further been recognised that in many instances the lines between active restoration and pressure management are not easy to define, and often management of pressures is needed to support active restoration efforts. Examples of this overlap include:

• management of activities to reduce or remove pressures on habitats or species undergoing restoration;
• management of INNS ahead of or during habitat restoration; and
• predator removal alongside bird reintroduction.

3.6 Building on previous assessments

3.6.1 This SEA builds on previous and ongoing SEAs that have been undertaken for Scottish Government plans and programmes with the potential to affect the marine environment. This includes the following:

• the designation of Nature Conservation MPAs (assessed in 2013)^[46];
• phase one fisheries management proposals for inshore MPAs (assessed in 2014);^[47]
• the designation of an additional suite of marine SPAs (assessed in 2018)^[48] ;
• the designation of four additional MPAs (assessed in 2019)^[49];
• the designation of the West of Scotland MPA (assessed in 2019)^[50]; and
• 2018 proposals for management measures applying to PMFs^,[51];
• Proposals for management measures applying to Offshore Marine Protected Areas in Scottish Waters (assessed in 2024)^[52];
• Proposals for management measures applying to PMFs and inshore MPAs (currently under assessment);
• SEAs undertaken on the Sectoral Marine Plans for Offshore Renewable Energy in Scottish Waters^[53];
• The 2025 draft updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy^[54];
• The National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2)^[55];
• Strategic Compensation Policy for Offshore Wind (currently under assessment); and
• 2024 proposals for Marine Conservation Order provision changes^[56].

3.6.2 The Plan could interact with the Strategic Compensation Policy for Offshore Wind, and/or policies established within NMP2. Specific restoration projects could also potentially overlap with areas proposed for MPA or PMF fisheries management measures. There is also the potential for restoration projects to take place within or interact with a region covered by a River Basin Management Plan.

3.6.3 As some of this other SEA work is ongoing, these concurrent assessments have been used to inform the current assessment as far as possible, providing a more complete understanding of cumulative effects in particular (Section 3.7).

3.7 Cumulative Effects Assessment

3.7.1 Cumulative effects have been considered in two ways in the assessment:

• Firstly, the cumulative effect of the implementation of the Plan alone;
• Secondly, the cumulative effect of the implementation of the Plan alongside other plans and programmes.

3.7.2 Cumulative effects assessments present significant methodological challenges owing to lack of publicly available data from other plans and programmes, and the broad scope of the Plan. Other plans, programmes, and strategies that may similarly impact on the same scoped in SEA topics and key environmental receptors have been included, such as: the NMP2; the Strategic Compensation Policy for Offshore Wind; proposals for management measures applying to offshore MPAs^[57]; and proposals for management measures applying to PMFs and inshore MPAs (currently under assessment).

3.8 Mitigation and Monitoring Proposals

3.8.1 The identification of mitigation measures is an integral part of the SEA and policy development processes. Proposals for monitoring will be provided in the Post Adoption Statement. These will focus on the significant environmental effects identified in this assessment.