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Devolved Scotland extends out to sea
27/11/2008
Scotland is to take greater responsibility for its coastal waters, which will now stretch 200 nautical miles out to sea, it has been announced today.
The Scottish Government agreed with the UK Government, through the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) that planned marine bills from both administrations should be joined up.
As the Scottish Government wanted, Scotland will get new executively devolved responsibility for planning and nature conservation out to 200nm. The agreement also includes:
- The administrations working together to deliver joined-up marine management
- A UK Marine Policy Statement to be part of an integrated marine management system
- Scotland having the power to designate nature conservation sites out to 200 nm
- Scotland in the driving seat for marine planning. This means joined up planning for wind and wave power, fishing and marine conservation right out to 200 nm.
Speaking during a debate in the Scottish Parliament, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment Richard Lochhead said:
"This is excellent news for Scotland and for Scotland's economy. We will now be responsible for planning and conservation up to 200 nautical miles out to sea from our shores.
"With Scottish waters being managed as a whole by the Scottish Government, we will now have modern and streamlined management of our seas and the many industries that depend on them.
"Our seas offer us vast amounts of wave, tidal and offshore wind power potential and many communities on the coast depend on fishing and fish farming, which together account for 60 per cent of all our food exports, valuing of £422 million. We will now have the ability to manage these activities as a whole in all the waters around Scotland, not just the in-shore.
"The Scottish Government will bring forward a Marine Bill in the spring that will provide a sustainable future for our waters, that will also represent the various sectors that depend on them.
"Further devolution of powers on the marine environment will help us safeguard our seas for generations to come.
"I am delighted that agreement has been reached with the UK on what we have long seen as a sensible approach. It also demonstrates that the JMC process is working."
The First Minister successfully pressed for the resurrection of the Joint Ministerial Committee as a formal mechanism for taking forward issues involving the UK Government and devolved administrations. This agreement arises from the First Minister's discussions with the UK Government and the other devolved administratons at the JMC Plenary in June 2008.
It has now been agreed that nature conservation and planning will be executively devolved to Scotland out to 200 natical miles. This is in the context of new marine legislation shortly to be introduced in the UK and Scottish Parliaments.