Scottish Blue Carbon action plan: islands communities impact assessment

Step Four - Assessment

Consideration of the potential impacts of the draft BCAP have not identified any unique impact on island communities.

The new actions associated with the action plan are focused on enhancing scientific understanding of blue carbon habitats. They therefore consist primarily of research projects, data gathering, or other supporting activities. These actions are not expected to have impact that differ across island communities.

As set out in the action plan, upcoming policies such as fisheries management measures, National Marine Plan 2, and the Marine Restoration Plan will support the protection and/or restoration of blue carbon habitats, and may also impact differently on island communities. Using the latest scientific evidence, including evidence resulting from actions in the BCAP, to inform upcoming policy developments may also influence the way these policies impact on island communities, but the analysis of that is dependent on the details of those policies when they are developed and so is outside the scope of this action plan. These impacts will be taken into consideration in the impact assessments associated with these upcoming policies.