The Scottish Government is currently holding a consultation in the lead up to developing the National Marine Plan 2. The aim of this consultation is to agree high level objectives and policy ideas for the new Marine Plan. This consultation ends on the 28^th January 2025 and can be accessed on:

https://consult.gov.scot/marine-scotland/national-marine-plan-2-planning-position-statement/.

As Mairi Gougeon MSP - the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands - says in the foreword: ‘The intensity and range of human activities continues to increase in response to demand for marine products, energy and transport, managing co-existence in the same shared marine space requires a new approach. Effectively managing how we use our marine space is not only crucial in our transition to net zero but will also help our delivery of national and international biodiversity commitments. This means taking difficult decisions on the use of our marine space, guided by the need to address the twin crises of climate change and nature loss to foster sustainable growth in the marine economy. In this way, marine planning provides a strong platform for sustainable development of existing and emerging marine sectors. NMP2 will provide a clear direction for the sustainable development of our marine space and create a new planning framework to support future licensing and consenting decisions’.