Welcome sea change in policy towards our marine environment

Published on Thursday 27 November 2008 21:04

THE past 18 months have seen a great number of stories in the media about so-called "spats" between Westminster and Holyrood.

It's an easy – if not entirely accurate – portrayal of devolved politics.

News that the UK government and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have reached agreement on a UK-wide approach to marine planning is, however, a perfect reminder of how devolution is working pragmatically and effectively.

This agreement has come as a result of efforts through the Joint Ministerial Committee.

It will provide greater clarity and simplicity for the management and preservation of our waters.

Rather than artificial dividing lines across the UK seas, this Bill will enable the development of a single Marine Policy Statement to cover the whole of the UK for the first time.

This will provide people involved in diverse industries – from wildlife protection to renewable energy generation, and fishing to the management of our oil and gas resources – with the confidence to know that we are taking decisions based on clear policy, sound evidence and research and with a shared vision for our seas across the UK.

Within this shared vision, the Bill will give the Scottish Government responsibility for marine planning and conservation up to 200 nautical miles around the Scottish coastline, as opposed to the previous 12-mile limit.

With the agreement of the UK Government, plans drawn up by the Scottish Government will be able to apply across a range of devolved and reserved matters.

The deal agreed by UK and Scottish Ministers will also see the Scottish Government ensuring agreement from UK Ministers to reserved policies affected by plans in Scotland from the shoreline up to 12 miles out to sea.

This is groundbreaking legislation and the reciprocal arrangements between the UK government and each devolved administration in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland offer us a once-in-a-generation chance to protect our marine wildlife and ecosystems, whilst ensuring we make best make use of the natural resources that surround us.

The Marine Bill sees the UK government, the Scottish Government and the other devolved administrations coming together to agree how they will exercise their powers across all the UK seas, in the best interests of the environment and of the people who make their living from the seas.

The UK government has led on developing, negotiating and creating this legislation which will be a world leader – no other country has attempted quite such an ambitious and wide-ranging approach to marine management.

I welcome the support that we have seen from groups across Scotland with an interest in our marine environment from those whose primary interest is in wildlife protection, to those who use our seas natural resources to make a living.

The Fishermen's Federation has welcomed the announcement on the UK Marine Bill, as have Oil and Gas UK and the Marine Conservation Society.

RSPB Scotland has said that it is the marine environment that wins from this deal, and it's a deal that this Government is proud that we have been able to make with the devolved administrations.

Across the UK we have over 20,000km of diverse coastline, we are a proud island nation, with a history that is entwined with the seas that surround us on all four sides.

The future of our seas rightly evokes strong emotions across the board. The example the UK Government has set in coming to a successful agreement with the devolved administrations on the UK Marine Bill is one which I hope will allow future generation to enjoy our coasts and seas for many decades to come.