Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To
ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve Scotland's
marine environment.
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural
Development (Allan Wilson): I will give the
member the answer when I find it. I have now found it — I apologise to the
Presiding Officer for the delay.
The Scottish Executive has developed a number of initiatives to ensure the
sustainable management of our marine environment. Those include the
biodiversity duty in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and its
underpinning Scottish biodiversity strategy, both of which extend to the
marine environment; the sustainable Scottish marine environment initiative,
which is piloting ways of delivering an ecosystems approach to the
management of human impacts on our seas; the Scottish coastal forum's
commitment to draft a strategy for the management of Scotland's coasts by
2006; and the current strategic review of inshore fisheries. In addition, we
are currently consulting on a strategic framework for Scotland's marine
environment. I am sure that members will agree that that answer was worth
waiting for.
Richard Baker: The answer
was comprehensive and it shows that the minister is aware that improving our
marine environment is vital environmentally and for those whose livelihoods
depend on it. One approach that has been taken in other countries to achieve
that aim is the establishment of marine national parks. Does he agree that
the establishment of a national coastline park in Scotland could help to
ensure the proper management and improvement of the marine environment?
Allan Wilson: I agree
with that, as I stood on that political platform at the election. The aim of
the strategic framework for Scotland's marine environment is to bring a more
coherent approach to the Executive's activities on the marine environment.
The framework brings together existing or planned initiatives and sets out
what I hope is a clear vision for keeping a clean, healthy, safe, productive
and biologically diverse marine environment. I have no doubt in my mind that
a marine national park will play an important role in that process. |
