The research undertaken by Marine Scotland Science (MSS) is involves time-limited projects that are required to meet an agreed schedule of milestones and targets consistent with Marine Scotland's aims. Our research goals are:
- Understanding the functioning of aquatic ecosystems
- Understanding and quantifying human impacts on aquatic ecosystems, particularly on living resources and the aquatic environment
- Evaluating options for sustainable fishing and aquaculture
Monitoring
Monitoring involves the regular sampling and measurement of different aspects of the environment or living resources. In addition, the analysis of historical information often provides great insight into the functioning of the ecosystem - natural variability and long-term change - which isessential for the development of many higher level policy aims for setting fishing quotas.
Advice
MSS also provides scientific and technical advice to guide policy development and support regulatory and statutory obligations of government. Particular responsibilities are:
- The management and conservation of marine and freshwater fisheries
- The protection of the aquatic environment and wildlife
- The management and further development and regulation of aquaculture
- The identification, notification and control of diseases and parasites in finfish and shellfish (both wild and cultivated)
- The protection of the consumer of finfish and shellfish with regard to public health
All of the work of Marine Scotland Science is overseen by a Science Advisory Board to assure the independence, impartiality and quality of science that it delivers. In addition, MSS is a member of a number of collaborative scientific initiatives.