Scottish Government consultations

On 29th July 2025 the Scottish Government published a consultation seeking views on a draft Marine and Coastal Restoration Plan. Publishing the plan is a commitment under the first Delivery Plan for the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) Objective 1: to accelerate restoration and regeneration. A total of 88 responses were received to the consultation. Sixty-one responses were submitted by organisations, with the remaining 27 responses from individuals. The consultation was structured around the five themes within the draft plan, each of which included a series of proposed objectives and underpinning actions. The consultation sought views on respondents’ priorities for the plan and whether actions should be included in this plan, future plans or not at all. Once respondents provided their views on the five themes, there were also more general questions relating to views on the contribution the plan as drafted would make to accelerating restoration in Scottish coasts and waters, and the overall content.

Analysis of consultation responses was carried out by social research agency The Lines Between. For each theme, the package of objectives and actions generally received good levels of support. The consultation yielded very rich and helpful suggestions for how actions could be implemented. There was also support for the plan as a whole and its potential to accelerate active restoration in Scotland. The main recurrent theme from respondents with critical feedback, was the focus of the plan on active restoration. The Scottish Government Response to Consultation outlines our response to the results of that analysis (including issues raised which we will need to consider as actions within the plan are implemented) and how we have used the outcomes of the consultation to finalise the plan and associated impact assessments. Our response looks first at overall feedback on the draft plan - including overall priorities across the themes - and then the analysis for each of the five themes in turn.

The consultation responses generated a large amount of constructive feedback which will be invaluable in implementing actions within the plan. Based on the feedback provided, we have not removed or significantly amended the existing objectives and actions which were proposed in the draft plan, but have added one action under Theme 1: Restoration opportunities and priorities, to work with nature conservation advisors to identify potential opportunities for active restoration in areas where measures to manage pressures are in place (see more detailed section on Theme 1 below). We recognise that some stakeholders have fundamental concerns about the scope of the plan, in particular the primary focus on active restoration rather than pressure management (or ‘passive’ restoration). We recognise the intrinsic links with pressure management. This is why we have been clear throughout the development of the plan that pressure management is within the remit of the plan where it is needed to support active restoration. Given the significant body of policy work with a focus on pressure management already underway or in development, the actions set out in this plan primarily target active restoration in the first instance as this is an area where Scottish Government has not had a clear policy to date, unlike with pressure management. However, the plan includes a specific action to ensure that pressure management supports active restoration where necessary, and elements of pressure management are a core part of several actions across the plan. Further measures relating to pressure management may be revisited as part of the five-year review cycle of the plan. As we implement the plan we will also continue to link in with wider marine environmental policies.

Our response on this point is covered in more detail in the Scottish Government Response to Consultation. The finalised plan has been published and includes the full list of objectives and actions which will be implemented over the five years covered by this first plan.

We held a public consultation seeking views on proposed operational changes to the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme in Scotland, to ensure the scheme remains sustainable and efficient under financial constraints. In addition, we asked for more general views to help inform any future redesign of the scheme. Future changes will be subject to a further consultation.

The consultation consisted of 20 questions and ran from 23 June to 14 September 2025.

A total of 18 validated responses were received from 15 organisations and 3 individuals. A range of views were provided.

In relation to proposed operational amendments, the majority of respondents agreed that aid provided by the scheme should be based on production grown in Scotland. There was a split in opinion if funding should be permitted for those producer organisations (POs) who have members outside Scotland, however the responses weighted in favour of allowing members in other parts of the UK to be part of a Scottish PO, but not including their value in the calculation determining the level of financial assistance that would be provided. The majority of responses agreed that Scottish Ministers should have discretion over the total budget for the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme in Scotland and supported that the funding cap should remain as a percentage of a PO’s value of marketed production (VMP). The majority of responses agreed there should be a statutory right to appeal within the scheme.

In relation to the potential future redevelopment of the scheme, common themes highlighted were around stability, collaborative working, simplification, investment, aligning with other Scottish Government priorities and policies along with support and funding for smaller-scale producers. All responses regarding the future of the scheme are noted and will form the starting point for further consideration and stakeholder engagement on more detail potential changes in due course.

We analysed responses to the consultation and publish the analysis report on the Scottish Government website: Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme in Scotland: consultation analysis - gov.scot.

We published consultation responses (where permission was granted) on Citizen Space: Published responses for Call for input on the future of the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme in Scotland - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space.

Following analysis of the responses, The Common Organisation of the Markets in Agricultural Products (Fruit and Vegetables) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 was laid, in draft, before the Scottish Parliament on Friday 21 November. The Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) will come into force on 30 January 2026, subject to Parliamentary approval, and will make operational changes to the scheme in Scotland in line with the consultation and responses received.

Longer term, there is need for further conversations on the redesign of the scheme in Scotland and how it can complement future agricultural and environmental strategies. Information gathered via this consultation will form the basis of further engagement and consultation.

The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting the valuable fruit and vegetable sector in Scotland and we look forward to continuing to work closely with stakeholders in this area. 

We sought views on the proposed river gradings for the 2026 salmon fishing season. The consultation opened on the 6 August 2025 and closed on the 7 September 2025.

There were 40 respondents to the consultation who had interests in rivers and freshwater systems across Scotland, including from regional and national fisheries management organisations. A quarter of respondents (23%) agreed with the proposed river gradings for the 2026 salmon fishing season while a third, 33% objected to them. Many of those who rejected the river gradings appeared to do so due to their views on the assessment method, or their concern that rivers of interest to them were incorrectly graded.

Some (40%) of respondents expressed views urging for action to be focused on other pressures that they felt needed to be taken now in order to better protect salmon populations. Additionally, 20% of respondents indicated that they felt a 100% catch and release policy would be more effective in protecting and restoring wild salmon populations.

The views given on the proposed river gradings have been used to inform the process of finalising the gradings for the 2026 salmon fishing season. These will be used in the annual amendment to The Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations 2016.

The Wild Salmon Strategy and accompanying Implementation Plan provide the overarching framework which will guide the actions to be taken by the Scottish Government and other public bodies, together with the business and charitable sectors to further the protection and recovery of Scottish Atlantic wild salmon populations over the next three years from 2025 to 2028. Actions that have already taken place during the first two years of the plan were published in our Progress Report 2023-2024 and Progress Report 2024-2025 respectively.

The broad range of actions outlined in the plan will help to reduce the impact of pressures identified by respondents as having an impact on wild salmon populations, such as removing or easing barriers to migration. The Wild Salmon Strategy is one component of the Scottish Government’s ambition to protect and restore Scotland's natural environment as outlined in the Environment Strategy for Scotland and the Biodiversity strategy to 2045: tackling the nature emergency.

The Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan Delivery Group, bringing together the organisations that will deliver the actions set out in the Implementation Plan, has the role of overseeing and directing delivery of the Strategy and Implementation Plan.