The need for action is reinforced by a new report from Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) which has found that Scottish ministers are failing in their legal duty (as per the Marine Strategy Regulations 2010) to achieve “Good Environmental Status” for the health of the seabed. In its report, ESS identifies three key areas where Scottish ministers didn’t do the things they said they would:
- instead of an effective “Programme of Measures” they only had vague plans to protect the sea bed and help it recover, with responsibilities for meaningful policy changes delegated elsewhere
- failure to properly monitor the condition of our seas
- failure in governance, with repeated delays in implementing measures and government departments trying to pass responsibility of delivery to each other.
Scottish government is now at risk of legal challenge from ESS, as well as others.
A consultation to be launched “in the coming weeks” on fisheries management across more than 160 inshore MPAs and and 11 Priority Marine Features (PMFs) will give ministers the opportunity to act towards improving seabed health, and ensure that actions and policies comply with the law.