« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
VISION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Our Shared Vision
Scotland should have sustainable, growing, diverse, market-led and profitable farmed fish and shellfish industries, which promote best practice and provide significant economic and social benefits for its people, while respecting the environment. The industries will contribute to the overall vision for Scotland's marine environment of "clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse seas managed to meet the long-term needs of nature and people". In essence, we should have profitable aquaculture businesses which make best sustainable use of our aquatic resource and underpin a peopled landscape of Scotland.
Sustainable Development
In December 2005 Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy was published, setting out a commitment to build a more sustainable Scotland with a goal to enable 'all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life without compromising the quality of life of future generations'. This framework shares this goal.
"We should have profitable aquaculture businesses which make best sustainable use of our aquatic resource and underpin a peopled landscape of Scotland."
Sustainable Growth
The aquaculture industry is ambitious to grow but growth must be sustainable - economically, socially and environmentally. Growth must be balanced with the carrying capacity of the aquatic environment and the needs of others who use and enjoy it. This framework will follow economic, environmental and social principles and will adopt appropriate governance.
Economic principle: Farmed fish and shellfish industries should be able to fulfil their ambitions for growth and be market-led with a focus on quality leading to improved economic returns for the industry and greater market stability.
Environmental principle: Farmed fish and shellfish industries should act as a good neighbour by minimising their impact on the environment and other activities and having the right farms in the right places; growth should be within the carrying capacity of the environment.
Social principle: Farmed fish and shellfish industries should underpin strong local communities and provide benefits to those communities.
Governance: Regulations should be light-touch and fit for purpose; responsive to the needs of the farmed fish and shellfish industries without compromising the aquatic environment and decision-making should be fair, transparent and inclusive.
The Ministerial Working Group on Aquaculture
This document has been developed on behalf of Scottish Ministers through the Ministerial Working Group on Aquaculture ( MWGA). The group was established in 2002 to develop and manage A Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture, published in 2003. MWGA is chaired by the Minister for Environment and comprises representatives of the aquaculture industry and its main stakeholders (see Appendix 1). Through the renewal process, the role and membership of MWGA will be considered and new terms of reference agreed.
Strategic Environmental Assessment ( SEA)
The proposed Renewed Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture has been subject to preliminary screening process and is not considered to be a plan or programme as defined by The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. However, it is likely that some of the outputs identified and actioned by the framework will have environmental effects and will require Environmental Assessment under the Act.
Regulatory Impact Assessment ( RIA)
As this is a strategic framework, a Regulatory Impact assessment is not necessary. However, any significant Government actions or policy changes resulting from the MWGA will require RIA.
Equality
Progressing equality is about creating a fairer society where everyone is able to participate and everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. We believe that opportunities in aquaculture should not be denied to anyone because of their race or ethnicity, gender, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, religion or belief or sexual orientation.
Overarching Drivers
- Policy development will be underpinned by robust and sound science and research which makes best use of the Fisheries Research Services science review process and the Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum ( SARF).
- Regulation will be appropriate, proportionate and reasonable.
- Mechanisms will be put in place to help ensure appropriately trained and skilled industry operatives, regulators and decision-makers.
Policy will develop alongside and dovetail with wider initiatives including:
- EU Aquaculture Strategy;
- EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive;
- Scottish Marine Bill;
- National Food and Drink Policy;
- Climate change agenda;
- Feed and capture fisheries sustainability agenda;
- National Planning Framework;
- Water Framework Directive - River Basin Management Planning;
- European Fisheries Fund ( EFF);
- Tripartite Working Group ( TWG);
- EU Aquatic Animal Health Directive;
- Biodiversity strategies.
« Previous | Contents | Next »