Marine Planning

Why do we need marine planning?

There has been a planning system on land for over 50 years, but until now there has been no similar system to plan for all uses of the marine environment. This has meant that different sectors have developed in isolation from each other and there has been no way to plan ahead and coordinate activities in our increasingly busy seas.

What should marine planning deliver?

We welcome the introduction of a marine planning system as one of the most important elements of the Scottish Marine Act  . We are keen that marine planning will:

• guide the location of all marine uses and activities and ensure they occur in the most suitable and least sensitive areas;
• minimise conflicts of interest and encourage compatible uses;
• be guided by clear sustainable development objectives and respect environmental limits to ensure healthy and productive seas in the future;
• identify and safeguard important natural and cultural heritage features and complement the role of Marine Protected Areas.

How will marine planning work?

The Scottish Marine Act  introduces a 3-tier marine planning system:

• International - providing links to the UK Marine Act provisions(through a UK Marine Policy Statement) and to wider initiatives such as the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive;
• National - a Scottish Marine Plan setting out national marine objectives and priority targets;
• Regional - Regional Marine Plans, which may be prepared for  Scottish Marine Regions, with the option for planning functions to be delegated to a local body.

Once marine plans are in place, public bodies must take decisions, such as granting licences or planning permission, in accordance with the plan policies.

The objectives set for any plan are very important in steering planning decisions and helping planners to balance competing demands. In addition to social, economic and environmental objectives for the sustainable development of our seas, we see Marine Ecosystem Objectives having a key role. These would set out the environmental limits within which development could take place, to ensure that we meet international obligations (such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive) and that our seas remain healthy and productive for future generations.

Our engagement in marine planning

A series of pilot projects are looking at approaches to preparing regional and local marine plans in Scotland. The Scottish Sustainable Marine Environment Initiative   includes 3 pilot planning projects for the Firth of Clyde  , Shetland Isles  and Sound of Mull  . There are other projects underway in the Pentland Firth and Loch Broom area. We are also involved in scoping studies to develop Scottish marine objectives and work on defining boundaries for Scottish Marine Regions.

Although the details of Scotland's marine planning system have not yet been determined, we are likely to have an important role in plan preparation, implementation and monitoring at both the national and regional scale. We will:

• work jointly with other agencies as part of a joint process of plan-making;
• advise on the Strategic Environmental Assessment of marine plans;
• provide information on the importance, distribution and sensitivity of marine habitats and species;
• help to determine marine natural heritage priorities (including biodiversity, geology, landscape and recreation);
• advise on the management of Marine Protected Areas and other sensitive sites within the plan area.