Hansard

Scotland has a world-class marine environment and an enviable maritime heritage. We have 10 per cent of Europe's coastline, 20 per cent of Europe's seas and well over half of Great Britain's coast. Our seas are among the most biologically productive in the world. They contain more than 40,000 species and internationally important populations of marine mammals and seabirds. Some of the finest marine habitats in Europe can be found in Scottish waters.

Our seas are therefore a major asset. They are essential to the economic wellbeing of Scotland and our coastal communities. We are proud of our unique coastal and marine environment and of the many communities, jobs and industries that it sustains, but I wonder whether we are always aware of just how special it is. David Attenborough has said that the Bass Rock, with its extraordinary gannet population, which is on our doorstep, is one of the 12 wildlife wonders of the world. Some 20 per cent of the world's gannets are in Scotland. Yesterday, the Parliament debated the challenges that seabirds face.

Scotland's seas face a range of growing and competing demands from the energy, shipping, fisheries, tourism and conservation sectors. The Government is committed to resource use and resource protection. We are committed to delivering enhanced economic growth while ensuring that an iconic asset is looked after for future generations. We cannot forget that our activities on shore impact on our seas and oceans. That underlines the need for ambition in the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill if we are to tackle global warming.

The Scottish Government gave a commitment to introduce dedicated legislation on Scotland's seas. This debate provides an opportunity to seek and discuss the Parliament's views on our legislative proposals before a bill is introduced. The marine bill will be a special bill for Scotland that will create a framework for sustainable growth. Stakeholder involvement has been at the heart of the process from the beginning.

After our most recent debate on marine issues, which took place on 20 March last year, the Parliament supported our bid to gain additional responsibilities for the waters around Scotland, to ensure that there was better integration and a coherent framework for planning and nature conservation. I am sure that the Parliament will be pleased to record that the Scottish Government secured additional responsibilities for Scotland. The cross-party support that we received in the Parliament was invaluable in achieving that. After the First Minister successfully pressed for the resurrection of the joint ministerial committee, we were delighted to announce on 27 November that agreement had been reached on a framework to devolve executive responsibility for marine planning and nature conservation to Scotland.

The agreement is complex and we admit that it does not go as far as we wanted it to go. We would have liked the Scottish Parliament to be able to legislate fully for the area out to 200 nautical miles. However, we have taken a significant step forward. In future, we will be able to integrate fishing policies with nature conservation and planning, which is a considerable advance. However, we must operate within two sets of laws from two Parliaments, which will be challenging.

The agreement provides a framework for the Scottish ministers to work co-operatively with the United Kingdom Government on marine management, and it provides a mechanism to meet our European and international obligations. I know that many members who take an interest in the sea support a clear framework that covers the seas that are administered by all parts of the UK. The deal that we arrived at reflects the complex sets of interests that we and the other Administrations have in the seas around us. It is a reasonable compromise that works for all sides. Above all, the deal allows us to join up with other parts of the UK to manage the seas. We have strong support for that way forward from environmental organisations and industry interests.

We hope shortly to bring forward our legislative proposals. We may soon be in a position in which two marine bills have been introduced in two Parliaments, north and south of the border—that illustrates how the marine environment has risen up the agenda on both sides of the border.

Responses to the consultation showed widespread support for more integrated, simpler, more effective and more efficient marine management arrangements. Ninety-one per cent of respondents agreed on the need for a new integrated structure to deliver sustainable seas for all.

On 9 February, I announced the creation of marine Scotland, which will begin operating on 1 April. It represents a groundbreaking approach to the integrated management of Scotland's seas that will combine core marine functions and integrate science, policy and delivery. Marine Scotland will play a leadership role; it will combine and co-ordinate the efforts of existing bodies and will have the essential role of joining up with marine management organisations in the rest of the UK. It will be the champion of our marine environment. It will also be part of the Scottish Government, which will provide transparency and direct accountability to the Scottish Parliament on devolved Scottish marine matters through the Scottish ministers.

Kara Brydson, marine policy officer with RSPB Scotland, welcomed our announcement on 9 February, when she said:

"It's great news for Scotland's delicate marine wildlife"

and that RSPB Scotland looks forward

"to working with the new organisation to ensure that the environment is at the heart of Scottish marine management."

Our consultation on the Scottish marine bill proposed a new legislative and management framework for sustainable development in the marine environment. It contained proposals on a new system of marine planning, reducing the regulatory burden, enhanced nature conservation and improving our understanding of the seas.

Since the consultation was launched last July, we have been extremely busy. Approximately 750 people attended the 21 consultation events that took place around Scotland's coasts and islands—from Orkney and Shetland to Dumfries, and from Eyemouth to Stornoway. We also held meetings with representatives of specific sectors, such as aquaculture, renewables, fisheries and leisure.

We received 280 consultation responses from individuals and organisations. Most of the respondents agreed that we should put in place a new legislative and management framework to deliver a new planning system for the sustainable use of Scotland's seas; improvements to marine nature conservation to safeguard and protect Scotland's marine assets; a streamlined and modernised marine licensing and consents system; and better stewardship, which should be backed up by robust science and data. Those responses are broadly in line with the outcome of the work of the advisory group on marine and coastal strategy—AGMACS—which advised the previous Administration, and the Environment and Rural Development Committee's report on the marine environment in the previous parliamentary session.

"Sustainable Seas for All: a consultation on Scotland's first marine bill" proposed a new power on marine protected areas that would be used for the purposes of conservation and to complement existing powers. I propose that it should also be available to demonstrate and research new methods of managing our marine environment and, in certain circumstances, to protect areas that communities propose. As stakeholders have made clear, designation based on science must be an important underpinning principle of the new conservation powers. I am sure that all members agree that science—rather than crude targets, for instance—must guide designations.

There were also more than 8,000 responses from three principle campaigns. Nearly 5,000 people took part in the Scottish Environment LINK campaign that called for greater environmental protection, a system of marine planning and a marine management organisation, which is in line with our proposals. Although the overall response was positive, it is clear that there is also a need for simplification and reduced bureaucracy. We envisage that our bill will ensure that that is delivered for our marine industries.

There is still some work to be done before we can introduce the bill to the Parliament, but we will introduce it shortly. The scale of the response to the consultation clearly illustrates that there is keen interest in our unique coastal and marine environment.

Stakeholders expressed views on a number of issues. Advocates for Animals and the Save Our Seals Fund called for a ban on killing seals, whereas our proposals were for increased protection for seals. Other responses contrasted with that call. However, we want to achieve an improved balance between seal conservation and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. We are minded to tighten up on seals legislation but we do not believe that an outright ban is the best way forward. Nonetheless, we are keen to hear the Parliament's views on the subject if any member wants to raise it.

Scottish marine regions will provide a way for local interests in Scotland to have a say over their local seas. It is clear from the consultation that there is strong support for that proposal but, in delivering marine regions, we must ensure that we do not create an additional layer of bureaucracy. We are committed to consulting on the characteristics that should be used to construct the regions. I want to think about that carefully so that we can build consensus.

Simplifying rather than complicating the delivery landscape for Scotland's seas is the first key step towards developing an integrated package that joins together the environment, fishing, leisure and recreation, and other interests at the local level. That will clearly take some time, and the time taken is likely to vary around Scotland. Nonetheless, I would rather take time to implement robust arrangements and ensure that they are effective over the longer term than rush to deliver them and potentially create more problems. l look forward to hearing members' views on Scottish marine regions.

A sustainable approach to marine management that balances improvements to marine conservation with the growth of marine industries will be at the heart of the bill. Along with the UK Marine and Coastal Access Bill, the Scottish bill will provide the basis for a coherent system of marine management for the seas around Scotland and provide an integrated framework to achieve a good outcome for Scotland's seas. That is good news for our marine industries, our communities and our precious marine environment.

In the times ahead, we must ensure that our seas continue to sustain species and habitats that make Scotland special and our planet richer, and that they sustain thousands of jobs in Scotland. In the future, our seas will continue to power our nation through wind and wave and to oil our economy. They must also continue to put food on our tables. In short, our seas help to make Scotland, and we need good, clean and productive seas to sustain us all. The challenge for all who care about the sea is to work with us to deliver the best system that we can to make that happen. I ask Parliament to support the Government motion.

I move,

That the Parliament notes the Scottish Government's commitment to deliver a Scottish Marine Bill to drive sustainable economic growth and improve the stewardship of the seas around Scotland; acknowledges the positive response to the consultation, Sustainable Seas for All, and the widespread support for the proposals, and further notes the recent agreement with the UK Government to secure executive responsibility for marine nature conservation and planning in the offshore zone.