A Marine Spatial Plan for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters

TOPIC SHEET NUMBER 12 V5

A MARINE SPATIAL PLAN FOR THE PENTLAND FIRTH AND ORKNEY WATERS

5°W 4°30’W 4°W 3°30’W 3°W 2°30’W SHETLAND PFOW Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters as per Scottish Marine Regions 59°30’N ORKNEY

ORKNEY

59°00’N

NORTH COAST

WEST WEST 58°30’N HIGHLANDS

THE PLAN AREA COMBINES THE SCOTTISH MARINE REGIONS OF ORKNEY AND THE NORTH COAST

Introduction Managing our marine environment is vital to integrated planning policy framework, in advance ensure our seas continue to provide sustainable of statutory regional marine planning, to guide resources, jobs and wider economic benefits. marine development, activities and management Commercial fishing, renewable energy, tourism, decisions, whilst ensuring the quality of the recreation, aquaculture, shipping, and oil and gas marine environment is protected. all contribute towards a diverse marine based economy and the Pentland Firth and Orkney The process of piloting this process resulted Waters have long been recognised as having in many lessons learned that will inform the exceptional renewable resource potential as well preparation of future regional marine plans as being of very high environmental quality. that will be developed by Marine Planning Partnerships. This will support sustainable A working group consisting of Marine Scotland, decision making on marine use and management Orkney Islands Council and Highland Council have and provide an important stepping stone towards developed a pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney the introduction of regional marine plans around Waters Marine Spatial Plan. The Plan sets out an the entire coast of Scotland.

www.gov.scot/marinescotland blogs.gov.scot/marine-scotland/ @marinescotland STAGE 1 Final Plan March 2016 Ongoing Review Marine Spatial Plan Framework and Regional Locational Guidance

Consultation STAGE2 STAGE 3 Analsysis and Ongoing studies Plan Scheme Modiﬁcation Report to ﬁll data gap Nov 2012

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

S Draft Plan and u S s T t Sustainability A a Plan Scheme in Appraisal June 2015 G a Nov 2012 E bi 2 lit l y a isa p O ppra a n g g ta oi a ng ll d studies to ﬁ

Consultation Analysis Planning Issues and Options and Draft Stakeholder Input (Nov 2013) and Report (Apr 2014) Environmental Report June 2013

Development of the plan The process of developing the pilot Plan was Stage 3 was the process of preparing the plan and been taken forward by the working group with associated documents with ongoing stakeholder input from a wide range of stakeholders. This input. The main steps were: work involved three stages: • A Plan Scheme that set out the key stages for Stage 1 was the creation of Pentland Firth and the preparation of the Plan and consultation Orkney Waters Marine Spatial Plan Framework and Regional Locational Guidance (published and identified the key stakeholders in March 2011). This set out the process for • A public consultation on a Planning Issues and developing the plan and made recommendations Options Paper and draft Environmental Report on how information and knowledge gaps should • Input to the consultation was used to develop be filled. a Draft Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Stage 2 consisted of a set of ongoing studies Marine Spatial Plan for public consultation taking forward the recommendations made in • The Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Stage 1 so that that development of the pilot Plan Marine Spatial Plan and all the associated was underpinned with an adequate knowledge documents were then finalised on the basis of base. This stage was carried out in parallel with comments received to the consultation Stage 3. • The Plan received ministerial approval in March 2016

http://www.gov.scot/pfowmarinespatialplan