Scottish Sustainable Marine Environment Initiative (SSMEI)
The Scottish Sustainable Marine Environment Initiative (SSMEI) is a unique and innovative approach to develop an overall marine planning framework for Scotland. The SSMEI aims to develop and then test the benefits of possible new management framework options for the sustainable development of Scotland's marine resources through the establishment of a number of pilot projects.
The SSMEI comprises 3 phases:
- Phase I - Management framework options design and pilot project scoping;
- Phase II - Management framework creation and the inauguration of pilot projects; and
- Phase III - Pilot project implementation.
The SSMEI is designed to build upon and complement existing UK marine initiatives. The project aims to gain an understanding of the nature, value, and management needs of Scotland 's marine environment and to identify alternative management approaches, with a view to ensuring new management initiatives and possible future legislation result in a truly sustainable framework.
The Scottish Sustainable Marine Environment Initiative (SSMEI) was instigated by the Scottish Government in November 2002. Its principal aim is to develop new management framework options for the sustainable development of Scotland's marine environment. These options should embrace the concept of the ecosystem-based approach to protection measures, and will be tested through the implementation of a number of pilot management schemes. An important aspect of the project is that it runs across several government agencies within Scotland and links directly with other relevant UK initiatives.
The initiative has entered its third and final phase, with four pilots now established in Berwickshire, Clyde, Shetland and the Sound of Mull.