Scottish Government's Marine Directorate

Our newly published Planning Position Statement (PPS) summarises all the work done to date to create a new national marine plan for Scotland - National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) - and offers an opportunity to engage on the proposed policy ideas through the PPS consultation. Check out the video below to see how the PPS fits into wider NMP2 development ⬇️ Have your say in the consultation ➡️ https://bit.ly/4f9n1ee

We are leading on the ECOCHANGE project, funded through The Crown Estate's Offshore Wind Evidence and Change programme (OWEC) Find out more ⬇️

Sometimes the stars align and last night they definitely did, under cold and clear Edinburgh skies. Team Seafood Scotland celebrated 25 years of supporting the Scottish seafood industry with a reception at the Scottish Parliament. Guests of honour Mairi Gougeon and Karen Adam MSP were joined by fishers, farmers, producers, retailers, chefs and many more - from all corners of the UK.     Our team greatly enjoyed the opportunity to bring so many passionate people together to mark our collective achievements. But we know this is just the beginning; there's so much more to come and we’re excited for what the future holds!  A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made last night such a success.  

The Scottish Marine Energy Research (ScotMER) Programme, have today published a report written by the @RSPB Science on the feasibility of strategic ornithological compensatory measures for offshore wind developments in Scottish waters NatureScot This will help Scottish Government understand how we can protect Scotland’s seabirds where there are potential impacts from offshore wind. https://lnkd.in/estEqfMX 

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon appeared at the Scottish Parliament's Rural Affairs and Islands Committee’s follow-up enquiry into salmon farming yesterday. She spoke of the importance of aquaculture to Scotland’s Blue Economy and on the significant progress made since the committee's 2018 report. #aquaculture #salmonfarming #blueeconomy

Members of the Predators and Prey Around Renewable Energy Developments (PrePARED) project team have presented posters and presentations at a number of conferences recently. This includes Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS) colleagues at the North - East Scotland Ecology Network (NESEN) annual science day. Read about the most recent #PrePAREDProject report and conference attendance on the October blog here : https://bit.ly/3AGlKfS

👩🔬 Our scientists recently returned from the MASTS Scotland (Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland) Annual Science Meeting, where they engaged with cutting-edge research, shared insights, and explored the future of marine science. 🌊 This year’s meeting highlighted a range of critical topics for marine sustainability, including blue carbon, marine resources, and emerging challenges in marine ecosystem health. In the plenary session, Professor Mark Inall,  Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA) Marine discussed “The Role of Chief Scientific Advisor Marine to The Scottish Government,” highlighting the importance of science-driven policy in shaping Scotland’s marine landscape.  Find out more in our blog here: https://bit.ly/3Z3t7ao

Our scientists are out on survey on Scottish Environment Protection Agency's Sir John Murray. The work they are doing includes sediment sampling to monitor for contaminants in the marine environment #STEM #Collaboration

We will attend the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) annual meeting this week as part of the UK delegation. The Parties will discuss management measures for fish stocks in the NEAFC regulatory area, associated controls and measures to protect the ecosystem. 

Marine Fund Scotland has awarded over £55m, since 2021, to support projects that contribute to an innovative and sustainable marine economy, support coastal communities, and contribute to Scotland’s net zero ambitions. Hear from Jeni Adamson, Industry Engagement Manager at Seafood Scotland about how Marine Fund Scotland funding has helped them deliver their innovative Seafood in Schools programme. 🦞 You can also find out more about the background and next steps for Seafood in Schools in our case study here: https://bit.ly/3AqTOfQ