Press Release

BOOST FOR MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING IN THE SOUND OF MULL

4 December 2006

The Crown Estate will contribute a total of £15,000 over three years towards a pilot scheme shaping the future management of Scotland’s marine environment. The scheme is being extended to include the Sound of Mull. The three-year, £125,000 project will develop and implement a marine spatial plan to help balance industry, leisure and environmental pressures on local seas.

The Crown Estate support comes from our marine stewardship fund.

The Sound of Mull pilot is the final scheme to be launched under the Scottish Sustainable Marine Environment Initiative (SSMEI). The SSMEI was set up to test new approaches to sustainable management and consider the benefits to coastal communities. It is a multi-partner initiative led by the Scottish Executive and includes The Crown Estate, Scottish Natural Heritage, SEPA, and local authorities. The initiative is funded by these partners and from European funding.

Two existing marine spatial planning pilots are already underway for the Shetland Isles and the Firth of Clyde. Another pilot is testing the benefits of new projects centred around the coast of St Abbs and Eyemouth for coastal communities along the Berwickshire Coast.

Announcing the pilot, Environment and Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie said: “The three-year Sound of Mull pilot will develop and implement a marine spatial plan through partnership between stakeholders and regulators.

“Scotland is leading the way in taking forward the marine spatial planning agenda and examining who uses our seas and how they are used.

“Four pilot projects are already underway and the Sound of Mull pilot will provide an opportunity to enhance the management of this important area.

“We all have to be part of the solution and these pilots give everyone with an interest in our rich marine resources the opportunity to help shape the future of our seas.”