Scotland's first National Marine Plan - how did we do?

Scotland’s National Marine Plan was published in 2015, following a commitment to create a single planning framework to manage both Scottish inshore waters (out to12 nautical miles) and offshore waters (12 to 200 nautical miles). It also applies to the exercise of both reserved and devolved functions.

The Plan was developed over a period of five years in three main phases

Part One: The ‘Pre-consultation phase’

• (Assessment to pre-consultation, 2009 – March 2011)
• UK and Scottish legislation
• UK Marine Policy Statement
• Scotland’s Marine Atlas
• Statement of Public Participation
• Pre-consultation draft

Part Two: The Consultation – “Planning Scotland’s Seas”

(Pre-consultation to formal consultation, March 2011 – December 2013)

• Analysis
• Assessments – Sustainability (SEA, HRA, Impact assessment)
• Political clearance
• Consultation  alongside Marine Protected Areas, Sectoral Marine Plans for Offshore Wind and Marine Renewables

Part Three: Publishing the Final Plan and looking forward
 

• (Post-consultation to Finalisation - December 2013 – Now)
• Analysis Independent investigation
• Political clearance
• Modifications report, updated assessments
• Parliamentary scrutiny
• Adopted Plan
• Post-adoption Statement (under development).

Following the adoption of National Marine Plan, we have started a lessons learned process to review the delivery of the phases of development.  The lessons learned will feed into the review of the Plan and the process for developing future regional marine plans.