9. Summary and Recommendations
9.1 Summary
This report has assessed the potential impacts of options, including no action, within a range of different policy areas. The Scottish Government has committed to delivering a Marine Bill which will include:
- marine planning: delivering a new system of marine planning for the sustainable use of Scotland's seas;
- marine licensing: a streamlined and modernised marine licensing and consent system in order to reduce administrative burden;
- marine conservation: improvement to marine nature conservation to safeguard and protect Scotland's marine assets, with "ecosystem" at the heart of management;
- closer integration of marine historic environment site protection with marine nature conservation;
- science and data generation; and
- a new structure, Marine Scotland, to deliver sustainable seas for all.
Tables 9.1 to 9.11 summarise the annual costs and benefits for the different groups and the different options. In some cases, the tables present the range of costs and benefits. In most cases though, benefits and costs are described in qualitative terms as estimates could not be calculated. Because of this, it is difficult to compare the cost and benefits from the Options. Moreover, there is considerable uncertainty over many of the costs and benefits, because they will depend upon the specific measures adopted.
Table 9.1: Annual Costs to Scottish Government
Marine Planning | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Statutory planning system | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Unquantified costs in resolving disputes | £2.6 million to £4.5 million (plus £125,000 to £190,000 for Historic Scotland) | n/a | n/a |
Licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA and CAR Licences | Option 3: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA, CAR, Wildlife, Aggregate etc. licences | Option 4: Create activity-based licences |
|---|
Baseline cost: £2.1 million - £2.7 million (recovered through industry fees). | Minor unquantified costs | Minor unquantified costs | Minor unquantified costs t |
Marine Nature Conservation | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Better use of existing measures | Option 3: New measures and policies | ( No Option 4) |
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Unquantified costs (potentially £m) | Will depend on numbers of measures adopted (examples of costs include: Habitat action plans: £76,000 - £501,000 per plan Species Action Plans: £23,000 - £206,000 per plan Surveillance and enforcement: £198,000 per plan Marine nature reserves: £38,000 - £55,000 per reserve Voluntary reserves: £26,000 - £74,000 per reserve) | Monitoring marine ecosystem objectives: £6,000 - £12,000 Designating 10 - 20 new inshore sites: £433,000 to £1,020,000 | n/a |
Seal licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2. Extended year round and to fish farms, removal of netsmen's defense | Option 3. Extend licensing to fish farms; netsmen's defense restricted to areas outside seal conservation orders | Option 4: No seal control |
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| Unquantified costs (as current but risk of failure could increase in future) | Unquantified costs of issuing licences to fish farms (probably recouped by the fees) and of changes to legislation | Unquantified costs of issuing licences to fish farms (probably recouped by the fees) and of changes to legislation | Unquantified costs but costs of changes to legislation and consultation likely to be significant |
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Historic environment | Option 1 - No change | Option 2 -Implement a new system of historic site MPAs | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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£200,000 for designation/monitoring via existing mechanisms at minimum credible level £170,000 to £250,000 per annum to enhance data quality for marine planning system | Transitional costs of £25,000 for two years to transfer to Historic MPA system; In addition £170,000 to £250,000 to enhance data quality for marine planning system | n/a | n/a |
Science and Data | Option A: No change | Option B: Develop a marine science strategy | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Costs included within specific policy areas | Costs included within specific policy areas | n/a | n/a |
Marine management | Option A: no change | Option B: Set up Marine Scotland | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Continuing costs from current inefficiencies | Costs neutral overall with potential for some efficiency savings | n/a | n/a |
Table 9.2: Annual Benefits to Scottish Government
Marine Planning | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Statutory planning system | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Minor short-term benefits only | Unquantifiable (but potentially significant) benefits | n/a | n/a |
Licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA and CAR Licences | Option 3: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA, CAR, Wildlife, Aggregate etc. licences | Option 4: Create activity-based licences |
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Avoidance of costs of change | Cost savings: £150,000 - £168,000 | Cost savings: £159,000 - £204,000 | Cost savings: £86,00 - £165,0001 |
Marine Nature Conservation | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Better use of existing measures | Option 3: New measures and policies | ( No Option 4) |
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Minor short-term benefits | Not quantified but could be significant | Not quantified but could be greater than Option 2 | n/a |
Seal licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2. Extended year round and to fish farms, removal of netsmen's defense | Option 3. Extend licensing to fish farms; netsmen's defense restricted to areas outside seal conservation orders | Option 4: No seal control |
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No significant benefits | Not quantified (current risk eliminated) | Not quantified (risk eliminated but to a lesser extent than Option 2) | Not quantified |
Historic environment | Option 1 - No change | Option 2 -Implement a new system of historic site MPAs | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No benefits | Benefits not quantifiable | n/a | n/a |
Science and Data | Option A: No change | Option B: Develop a marine science strategy | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Benefits included within specific policy areas | Benefits included within specific policy areas | n/a | n/a |
Marine management - | Option A: no change | Option B: Set up Marine Scotland | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Minor short-term benefits | Cost savings estimated at £1 million to £1.5 million | n/a | n/a |
Table 9.3: Annual Costs to Local Authorities
Marine Planning | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Statutory planning system | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Unquantified costs (potentially significant) | Unquantified costs (likely to be offset by cost reductions) | n/a | n/a |
Licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA and CAR Licences | Option 3: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA, CAR, Wildlife, Aggregate etc. licences | Option 4: Create activity-based licences |
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Baseline costs: £304,000 - £380,000 (recovered through licence fees | Minor unquantified costs | Minor unquantified costs | Minor unquantified costs |
Marine Nature Conservation | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Better use of existing measures | Option 3: New measures and policies | ( No Option 4) |
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Unquantified potentially significant costs | Participation in consultation of measures but expected to be cost neutral overall | Cost neutral overall | n/a |
Seal licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2. Extended year round and to fish farms, removal of netsmen's defense | Option 3. Extend licensing to fish farms; netsmen's defense restricted to areas outside seal conservation orders | Option 4: No seal control |
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No changes in costs | Not quantified | Not quantified | Not quantified |
Historic environment | Option 1 - No change | Option 2 -Implement a new system of historic site MPAs | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No additional costs (existing costs and uncertainties will remain) | No significant additional costs expected but not quantified | n/a | n/a |
Science and Data | Option A: No change | Option B: Develop a marine science strategy | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Costs included within specific policy areas | Costs included within specific policy areas | n/a | n/a |
Marine management | Option A: no change | Option B: Set up Marine Scotland | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Potentially significant continuing costs | Limited short-term costs | n/a | n/a |
1: Excludes the costs of aquaculture from total costs as calculated in Table 5.25. |
Table 9.4: Annual Benefits to Local Authorities
Marine Planning | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Statutory planning system | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
|---|
Minor short-term benefits | Unquantified (but potentially significant) benefits | n/a | n/a |
Licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA and CAR Licences | Option 3: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA, CAR, Wildlife, Aggregate etc. licences | Option 4: Create activity-based licences |
|---|
Minor short-term benefits | No significant change | No significant change | £256,000 - £350,000 cost savings |
Marine Nature Conservation | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Better use of existing measures | Option 3: New measures and policies | ( No Option 4) |
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Minor short-term benefits | Minor short-term benefits | Not quantified but could be significant | n/a |
Seal licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2. Extended year round and to fish farms, removal of netsmen's defense | Option 3. Extend licensing to fish farms; netsmen's defense restricted to areas outside seal conservation orders | Option 4: No seal control |
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No significant costs | Not quantified | Not quantified | Not quantified |
Historic environment | Option 1 - No change | Option 2 -Implement a new system of historic site MPAs | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No significant costs | Not quantified | n/a | n/a |
Science and Data | Option A: No change | Option B: Develop a marine science strategy | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Benefits included within specific policy areas | Benefits included within specific policy areas | n/a | n/a |
Marine management | Option A: no change | Option B: Set up Marine Scotland | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Some benefits possible | Potentially significant in longer term | n/a | n/a |
Table 9.5: Annual Costs to Other Organisations
Marine Planning | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Statutory planning system | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Potentially significant costs | Limited costs | n/a | n/a |
Licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA and CAR Licences | Option 3: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA, CAR, Wildlife, Aggregate etc. licences | Option 4: Create activity-based licences |
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Baseline cost £123,000 - (recovered from industry) | Minor unquantified costs | Minor unquantified costs | Minor unquantified costs |
Marine Nature Conservation | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Better use of existing measures | Option 3: New measures and policies | ( No Option 4) |
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Potentially significant unquantified impacts from | Participation in consultation of measures but expected to be cost neutral overall | Potential costs of £14,000 - £40,000 per site so could range from £140,000 to £800,000 for 10 to 20 sites (but over different time periods) | n/a |
Seal licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2. Extended year round and to fish farms, removal of netsmen's defense | Option 3. Extend licensing to fish farms; netsmen's defense restricted to areas outside seal conservation orders | Option 4: No seal control |
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No significant costs | Not quantified (but biodiversity benefits will be significant) | Not quantified (biodiversity benefits but not as great as for Option 2) | Costs of consultation but not expected to be significant |
Historic environment | Option 1 - No change | Option 2 -Implement a new system of historic site MPAs | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No significant additional costs | No significant additional costs | n/a | n/a |
Science and data | Option A: No change | Option B: Develop a marine science strategy | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Current costs continue | No significant impacts | n/a | n/a |
Marine management | Option A: no change | Option B: Set up Marine Scotland | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Current costs continue | Limited short-term costs | n/a | n/a |
Table 9.6: Annual Benefits to Other Organisations
Marine Planning | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Statutory planning system | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Minor short-term benefit | Unquantified (but potentially significant) benefits | n/a | n/a |
Licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA and CAR Licences | Option 3: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA, CAR, Wildlife, Aggregate etc. licences | Option 4: Create activity-based licences |
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Minor short-term benefit | Unquantified (probably minor) savings | Unquantified (probably minor) savings | Unquantified (probably minor) savings |
Marine Nature Conservation | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Better use of existing measures | Option 3: New measures and policies | ( No Option 4) |
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Minor short-term benefit | Potentially significant economic, social and environmental benefits | Potentially greater environmental benefits | n/a |
Seal licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2. Extended year round and to fish farms, removal of netsmen's defense | Option 3. Extend licensing to fish farms; netsmen's defense restricted to areas outside seal conservation orders | Option 4: No seal control |
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No significant costs | Not quantified but potentially significant economic, social and environmental benefits | Not quantified but potentially significant social and environmental benefits | Costs of consultation |
Historic environment | Option 1 - No change | Option 2 -Implement a new system of historic site MPAs | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No benefits | Benefits could be significant but not quantified | n/a | n/a |
Science and Data | Option A: No change | Option B: Develop a marine science strategy | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No benefits | Some potential benefits | n/a | n/a |
Marine management - | Option A: no change | Option B: Set up Marine Scotland | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Some potential benefits | Potentially significant benefits in longer-term | n/a | n/a |
Table 9.7: Annual Costs to Industry
Marine Planning | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Statutory planning system | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Potentially significant | Possible short terms term and longer term costs | n/a | n/a |
Licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA and CAR Licences | Option 3: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA, CAR, Wildlife, Aggregate etc. licences | Option 4: Create activity-based licences |
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Baseline licence fees £2.6million - £3.2 million | Limited costs | Limited costs | Limited costs |
Marine Nature Conservation | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Better use of existing measures | Option 3: New measures and policies | ( No Option 4) |
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Potentially up to £14million, | Participation in consultation of measures but expected to be cost neutral overall (costs of compliance, e.g. £185,000 for adjustments to nets, etc but will vary according to specific controls although expected to be lower than Option 3) | Costs of compliance potentially significant (up to £6.2m to £8.5m per site for MPA; less for zoning alone) | n/a |
Seal licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2. Extended year round and to fish farms, removal of netsmen's defense | Option 3. Extend licensing to fish farms; netsmen's defense restricted to areas outside seal conservation orders | Option 4: No seal control |
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No change | Not quantified but would be related to increased damage or loss of fishing gear in a few cases. Expected to be small. | Not quantified. Potential loss of local tourism income. | Not quantified. Would be related to increased damage or loss of fishing gear and damages to cages (costs to aquaculture) |
Historic environment | Option 1 - No change | Option 2 -Implement a new system of historic site MPAs | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No additional costs (as for current costs and uncertainties) | No significant costs (maybe consultation) | n/a | n/a |
Science and Data | Option A: No change | Option B: Develop a marine science strategy | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Current costs continue | No significant impacts | n/a | n/a |
Marine management | Option A: no change | Option B: Set up Marine Scotland | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Current costs continue | Limited short term costs | n/a | n/a |
Table 9.8: Annual Benefits to Industry
Marine Planning | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Statutory planning system | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Minor short-term benefit | Potential benefits of up to £20m | n/a | n/a |
Licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA and CAR Licences | Option 3: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA, CAR, Wildlife, Aggregate etc. licences | Option 4: Create activity-based licences |
|---|
Minor short-term benefit | Cost savings: £170,000 | Cost savings: £177,000 - £197,000 | Direct cost savings: £512,000 - £672,000 (Indirect cost savings could be significantly higher) |
Marine Nature Conservation | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Better use of existing measures | Option 3: New measures and policies | ( No Option 4) |
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Minor short-term benefit | Potential longer-term benefits | Potentially significant longer term benefits | n/a |
Seal licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2. Extended year round and to fish farms, removal of netsmen's defense | Option 3. Extend licensing to fish farms; netsmen's defense restricted to areas outside seal conservation orders | Option 4: No seal control |
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No change | Not quantified but expected to be significant for instance to wildlife tourism and aquaculture | Not quantified | Significant for some industry such as wildlife tourism |
Historic environment | Option 1 - No change | Option 2 -Implement a new system of historic site MPAs | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No benefits | Opportunities for sustainable tourism (not quantified) | n/a | n/a |
Science and Data | Option A: No change | Option B: Develop a marine science strategy | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No benefits | Some potential benefits | n/a | n/a |
Marine management | Option A: no change | Option B: Set up Marine Scotland | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Some potential benefits | Potentially significant | n/a | n/a |
Table 9.10: Annual Costs to Other Stakeholders
Marine Planning | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Statutory planning system | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Potential for loss of employment | Limited costs | n/a | n/a |
Licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA and CAR Licences | Option 3: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA, CAR, Wildlife, Aggregate etc. licences | Option 4: Create activity-based licences |
|---|
No change | Potential loss of up to 1 FTE | Potential loss of up to 1 FTE | Potential loss of 2 to 2.6 FTE |
Marine Nature Conservation | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Better use of existing measures | Option 3: New measures and policies | ( No Option 4) |
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| Up to £14million | Cost neutral overall | Cost neutral overall | n/a |
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Seal licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2. Extended year round and to fish farms, removal of netsmen's defense | Option 3. Extend licensing to fish farms; netsmen's defense restricted to areas outside seal conservation orders | Option 4: No seal control |
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Significant costs potentially in the future | No significant costs | No significant costs | No significant costs |
Historic environment | Option 1 - No change | Option 2 -Implement a new system of historic site MPAs | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No additional costs | No costs | n/a | n/a |
Science and Data | Option A: No change | Option B: Develop a marine science strategy | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Current costs continue | No impacts anticipated | n/a | n/a |
Marine management | Option A: no change | Option B: Set up Marine Scotland | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Current costs continue | Limited short term costs | n/a | n/a |
Table 9.11: Annual Benefits to Other Stakeholders
Marine Planning | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Statutory planning system | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
|---|
Minor short-term benefits | Some (unquantified) benefits | n/a | n/a |
Licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA and CAR Licences | Option 3: Amalgamate CPA, FEPA, CAR, Wildlife, Aggregate etc. licences | Option 4: Create activity-based licences |
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No job losses | No significant impact | No significant impact | Some (unquantified) benefits |
Marine Nature Conservation | Option 1: No change | Option 2: Better use of existing measures | Option 3: New measures and policies | ( No Option 4) |
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Minor short-term benefits | Potentially significant economic, social and environmental benefits | Potentially greater economic, social and environmental benefits | n/a |
Seal licensing | Option 1: No change | Option 2. Extended year round and to fish farms, removal of netsmen's defense | Option 3. Extend licensing to fish farms; netsmen's defense restricted to areas outside seal conservation orders | Option 4: No seal control |
|---|
No significant costs | Not quantified (but biodiversity benefits will be significant) | Not quantified (biodiversity benefits but not as great as for Option 2) | Costs of consultation but not expected to be significant |
Historic environment | Option 1 - No change | Option 2 -Implement a new system of historic site MPAs | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No changes | Benefits from conservation | n/a | n/a |
Science and Data | Option A: No change | Option B: Develop a marine science strategy | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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No benefits | Some potential (unquantified) benefits | n/a | n/a |
Marine management - | Option A: no change | Option B: Set up Marine Scotland | (No Option 3) | ( No Option 4) |
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Some potential benefits | Potentially significant | n/a | n/a |
9.2 Recommendations
This report has assessed the potential impacts of options, including no action, within a range of different policy areas. The findings indicate that he no change options would risk continuation of the current situation, where conflicts and uncertainty about uses of the marine environment could result in costly delays, less efficient use of marine space and deterioration of the marine environment. There may be some short-term benefits from this option, in that policy-makers, businesses and marine users will not have to change their behaviour. However, it is likely in the longer term that political and economic pressures on the marine environment will ultimately require alternative solutions and consequent modifications in activity.
Although the options for change to the system involve costs for the Scottish Government and for other stakeholders, the benefits are potentially significant. For example, A 1% increase in gross added value from the marine economy could generate benefits of £294 million over 20 years. There would also be significant non-economic benefits.
The analysis indicates that the greatest net benefits are likely to result from a new approach to managing the marine environment which incorporates:
- a new system of statutory marine planning for the sustainable use of Scotland's seas;
- a streamlined and modernised marine licensing and consent system in order to reduce administrative burden;
- implementing new measures and policies for nature conservation (including reform of seal licensing and conservation and new measures to protect Scotland's most important marine historic assets)
- developing a marine science strategy; and
- setting up a new structure, Marine Scotland, to deliver sustainable seas for all.
Although there is considerable uncertainty over many of the costs and benefits, because they will depend upon the specific measures adopted, the summary tables indicate that the benefits of the preferred policy options are likely to outweigh the costs significantly, whist the 'do nothing' option has few benefits and could incur significant costs, in terms of failure to meet objectives and reduced productivity from the marine environment.