Scottish seabird conservation action plan: fairer Scotland duty not required declaration

Rationale for decision

The objective of the Scottish Seabird Conservation Action Plan is to help build seabird colonies that are thriving and showing improved resilience and adaptation to climate change. Additionally, the plan aims to ensure plentiful food supplies for seabirds, restore and improve their habitats, and maximise their likelihood of survival. Conservation research and a coordinated monitoring programme will assist in building an evidence base and understanding of seabird status and the effectiveness of managing the threats and pressures facing them. The action plan will also seek to raise awareness of the importance of Scotland’s seabirds, foster societal behavioural changes that promote their long-term protection, and allow for Scotland to be a key international partner in contributing to the enhancement, understanding and protection of seabird populations.

The plan, in not introducing new policy, does not impact individuals or groups on the basis of the criteria set out in the Fairer Scotland Duty Guidance for Public Bodies ‘Inequalities of Outcome’. This criteria includes, but is not limited to, homelessness, education and disadvantaged pupils, health, employment and poverty, and connectivity.

The plan has been developed drawing on feedback from sectoral interests such as marine renewables, the fishing sector, aquaculture and ports and harbours, eNGOs and academia. The plan brings together both ongoing and potential future actions that could help build seabird resilience and ensure thriving populations by 2045. It does not, at this stage, implement new policy. Going forward, if actions are implemented, they will be subject to individual assessments to address how they might impact individual communities and the realities they face. This would involve engaging with local economies and considering economic growth. The plan has been subject to a public consultation with both members of the public and organisations providing feedback.

The action plan, in focusing on seabird conservation and aiming to build seabird resilience in Scotland and lead to thriving populations, will not include measures that would impact on the inequalities experienced by socio-economically disadvantaged or vulnerable groups.

I confirm that the decision not to carry out a Fairer Scotland assessment has been authorised by:

Name and job title of Deputy Director (or equivalent): Caro Cowan, Deputy Director, Marine Environment

Date authorisation given: May 2025