Regional marine plans and legislation
Information on marine regional plans and legislative requirements.
The Scottish Marine Regions Order sets out the boundaries of Scotland's 11 marine regions. Under the Marine Scotland Act 2010, Scottish Ministers can hand over regional marine planning responsibilities to a nominated organisation. However, additional legislation is needed to formally transfer these planning powers.
Regional Marine Plans are developed by the organisations given this responsibility (such as a Marine Planning Partnership), but they must be formally approved by Scottish Ministers.
These plans must follow the legal requirements of the Marine Scotland Act 2010 and align with both the National Marine Plan and the UK-wide Marine Policy Statement. They will not affect matters reserved to the UK Government unless specifically required to do so. In areas where no regional plan exists, the National Marine Plan and Marine Policy Statement will still apply.
Where a Regional Marine Plan has been adopted, the relevant organisation will be consulted and kept informed as part of the process for granting marine licences in Scotland. This is set out under the Marine Licensing (Consultees) (Scotland) Order 2011.
The National Marine Plan sets out guidance for regional planners. The basic legislative requirements for regional plans include:
- assessing the condition of the region
- summarising the significant pressures and consequences of human activity
- keeping under review the characteristics of the region: the purposes of its use, the communication energy and transport systems and the living resources it supports
- setting economic, social, marine ecosystem and climate change objectives
- stating the contribution of MPAs and other designated areas
- stating policies for sustainable development of the region
- developing a Statement of Public Participation and carrying out consultation
Contact
Email: contactus@gov.scot