National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) consultation minutes: EIR release

Information requested

We are just considering the NMP2 consultation and note reference to recommendations from the FMEC, notably "in line with recommendations from the FMEC, NMP2 will not contain sector-specific objectives"

Can you please share the advice or minutes of meetings where this recommendation was made please?

Response

As the information you have requested is ‘environmental information’ for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations.

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested. Please find enclosed Annex 1 and 2.

An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1)  of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exception is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception.

Some of the information you have requested is available from the gov.scot website, specifically the minutes of the First Ministers Environment Council meetings:

First Minister’s Environmental Council minutes: November 2023 - gov.scot

First Minister's Environmental Council minutes: June 2023 - gov.scot

First Minister’s Environmental Council minutes: October 2022 - gov.scot

Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format.

Additional information provided out with the EIRs

Under regulation 9 of the EIRs (our duty to provide advice and assistance) we would like to advise you that the Planning Position Statement for the National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) draws together the early stage work in the development of NMP2. It includes draft high-level national objectives and initial thinking on the potential policy direction. These draft objectives set out the national aims for marine planning in Scotland and are intended to apply across sectors such as aquaculture, energy and fisheries, given that many of the potential actions supported by marine planning are relevant to multiple sectors.

The draft planning policies for NMP2 will be developed over the coming year. We will give appropriate consideration to any feedback on the current consultation as well as all other relevant considerations, such as the current Inshore Fisheries Management Improvement Programme call for evidence. As part of the development of NMP2 we will also give appropriate consideration to the key points raised in the FMEC advice note. This includes the application of sub-objectives within the marine planning sector and how these best fit with regional and sectoral plans under development. Appropriate consideration will also be given to the aims and objectives of other strategic management plans, the feedback on the consultation for the draft Sectoral Plan for Offshore Wind Energy to be held in the Spring, and the ongoing development of UK Government’s Strategy Spatial Energy Plan.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

EIR 202500448347 - Information released - Annex 1 and Annex 2

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