Current status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30510 by Gillian Martin on 18 October 2024, what specific scientific information will be provided to stakeholders in order for them to be able to meaningfully engage with the National Marine Plan 2 process.
The development of the National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) is supported by an extensive programme of engagement as detailed in the Statement of Public Participation and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy.
Consultation on a Planning Position Statement (PPS) for NMP2 is currently open until 28 January 2025. The PPS was developed following 14 marine sector workshops held in 2024. Consultation on the PPS was supported through discussion at the National Marine Planning Forum, held 13 November 2024, with over 100 delegates from marine sectors, academia and government.
The NMP2 will be constructed using a robust and transparent evidence base informing the plan and its statutory Sustainability Appraisal, which encompasses environmental and socio-economic impact assessments. The primary evidence base for the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is Scotland’s Marine Assessment 2020 (“SMA2020”).
The assessments are being supported by a steering group of relevant national organisations, who provide guidance and advice on additional relevant datasets. The assessments will form part of the public consultation on the draft NMP2, planned for Winter 2025.