The Marine Renewables Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) highlighted the need for simplified regulation to allow the establishment of a marine renewables sector. Marine Scotland is therefore investigating and seeking to introduce efficiencies into the licensing process, but at the same time ensure that environmental sensitivities and other uses are fully considered.
Marine Scotland has initiated the following strands of work to simplify regulation of marine renewables in Scotland's seas:
- Production of a Licensing Manual for regulators and developers to progress applications for licenses in an efficient and effective way
- Establishment of a One-Stop Shop for licence applications on 1 April 2010
- SNH will produce an Environmental Monitoring Protocol for developers
- Development and Implementation of a Deploy and Monitor Policy for marine renewable devices