The Scottish Government has been working with the UK Government, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive towards the adoption of a UK wide Marine Policy Statement. The Policy Statement has now been agreed and will set the high level policy context within which marine plans will be developed within each of the administrations - this will include a Scottish national marine plan and regional planning for Scottish seas.
The Statement follows a consultation which took place in 2010 and builds on previously agreed High Level Marine Objectives and will impact on authorisation and enforcement decisions made by public authorities.