Scottish Government

The introduction of the Marine (Scotland) Act means better management of the competing demands on marine resources is key and the creation of a National Marine Plan will ensure increasing demands for the use of our marine environment are managed, economic development of marine industries is encouraged and environmental protection is incorporated into marine decision making. It will also have a role to play in managing adaptation to climate change.

Marine Scotland is involved at various levels:

• A national level, by creating Scotland's first National Marine Plan
• A regional level, by creating Scottish Marine Regions

There are also close links to:

• Sectoral Planning, for offshore renewable energy
• Terrestrial Planning, because of the relationship between the Statutory Land Use Planning System and Marine Planning and Licensing