Marine Bill

Thank you presiding officer. I welcome the chance to sum up on this important subject for the South of Scotland. Liberal Democrats broadly welcome the Bill which must complement UK legislation, complex though that process may be. I do however regret the time taken to finally get to this stage.

This debate has highlighted our marine and coastal environment which contains many special and some unique landscapes of national and international renown. We have distinctive habitats, such as sea lochs and maerl beds, synonymous to Scotland. Scottish waters are among the most diverse in the world, supporting 8,000 complex and over 36,000 single cell species and animals. Two examples which come to mind are basking shark and leatherback turtle.

As a South of Scotland MSP my region has a large part of the Scottish coastline - the mild Solway and Ayrshire coast on the west; and the East Lothian and Berwickshire coastlines. I estimate over 600 kms of coastline altogether.

The Solway Firth has been highlighted by the Committee to be considered as a single area - I agree - and look to the Cabinet Secretary to work WITH the Westminster administration to draw up an agreed strategy, as hinted to in the Govt's draft response.

As well as the biodiversity within our seas, the coastline is important economically as it supports communities whether through fishing, aquaculture or tourism. Some facts:-

16,000 jobs in fishing and aquaculture generate a landing value of £300m from Scottish boats and a "farm gate" value of £340m from aquaculture. Scotland produces about 90% of UK farmed fish and shellfish. And of course the opportunity for renewable energy from tidal and wave power is huge for Scotland. Fishing is not only a vital industry for my region, but also the heart of many coastal communities, and as such it must be a major consideration of any marine legislative proposal. Liberal Democrats have consistently fought for the rights of Scottish fishermen, as we recognise that a balance must be struck between conserving our natural environment and allowing Scotland's world-renowned, sustainable fishing industry to flourish. Any marine legislation must seek to preserve, and improve upon, this balance.

People visiting Historic Scotland's staffed coastal and island properties generate some £2.5m of income per annum.

Recreational diving opportunities attract many thousands of divers every year - St Abbs, Eyemouth with its flora and shipwrecks including U-Boats. An opportunity that businesses like Eyemouth based Marine Quest have grasped following their fishing boat de-commissioning.

Off shore British Oil and gas supports 164,000 jobs.

There is cross party agreement that Scotland's seas should be managed in a coherent way; in a manner which addresses social, economic and environmental factors.

And I would emphasise that there has to be a sensible balance struck between economic activity and other uses of our seas, given its economic importance to Scotland.

There are key issues which should be addressed in bringing forward a Scottish Bill. Scotland will now have responsibility for planning and conservation measures out to a distance of 200 nautical miles which was originally suggested by the Scottish Liberal Democrats. There needs to be an integrated system of marine spatial planning and crucially, these two things will build on current powers over sea fisheries and offshore renewable energy. The Scottish Government must therefore continue positive dialogue with UK Ministers to achieve the benefits we all want to see from our use of the sea.

Without any kind of streamlined framework for coastal zone management, there has been increasing evidence of environmental degradation. A more integrated approach would reduce uncertainty, and bring real benefits to all marine and coastal users.

It's vital that the Westminster and Holyrood Bills complement each other.

It is also vital to note that many of the proposals laid out in the Bill were recommendations made by the Advisory Group on Marine and Coastal Strategy, a task-force established in 2005 and chaired by then LibDem Environment Minister Ross Finnie. Its report - of March 2007 - appears to have formed the corner stone of this Government's proposals. Like so many of the SNP's recent 'achievements', most of the ground work was established under the previous administration.

The last debate highlighted licensing arrangements. I hope that the cabinet secretary can give an assurance that licensing arrangements will be aligned with proposals to protect the marine environment under the proposed Bill? There are concerns that the Marine Management Organisation, under the UK Marine Bill, has already had British gas and oil removed from its remit, and there is no guarantee that it will be given carbon capture and storage either. This suggests that protection of the marine environment is not being sufficiently considered. Will Marine Scotland play a part here?

Licensing for offshore storage of natural gas and carbon dioxide needs to take full account of environmental risks, and should integrate with future provisions for managing and protecting the marine environment. They should ensure that consultation with stakeholders takes place before licences are granted for importation and storage of combustible gas and carbon dioxide. Can the cabinet secretary provide assurances that this is being looked at?

One last point is in relation to Marine Scotland. According to consultation responses, approximately 50% of respondents believed that Marine Scotland should be established as a statutory body at 'arms length' from the Government (the other 50% were 'for' creating it as a governmental body). Can the Minister clarify the reasons why such a decision was taken, and also to detail the measures that are to be taken to ensure the independence of any scientific advice.