Extending marine planning zones: consultation
Feedback updated 29 Apr 2025
We asked
The public consultation sought views on proposals to extend marine planning zone boundaries to resolve an existing gap in aquaculture planning regulations.
You said
53 responses were received from a wide range of stakeholders, of which 29 were from groups or organisations and 27 were from individual members of the public.
A number of respondents who agreed with the proposals commented that they would close a regulatory gap, ensure developments were appropriately assessed under existing regulations and allow farms to be located further from the shore in line with developments in aquaculture equipment technology.
A number of issues were raised both by respondents who disagreed with the proposals and those who agreed. The points raised were wide ranging, but some key themes emerged including concerns regarding regulators capacity, the assessment of proposed developments and impacts on other marine users.
We did
View the consultation analysis report
Where permission to publish has been provided, the consultation responses are now available to view online.
Following careful consideration of all the responses received, Scottish Ministers have decided to bring forward a Scottish Statutory Instrument to extend marine planning zone boundaries as proposed in the consultation paper.
Published responses
View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.
Overview
Marine planning zones set out the spatial limits for particular local authorities responsibilities for planning controls of marine fish and shellfish farms in Scottish waters. The current marine planning zones extend out to 3 nautical miles.
This consultation paper seeks views on Scottish Ministers proposals to extend existing marine planning zones out to 12 nautical miles, via a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI).
The paper contains illustrative and interactive maps displaying the proposed marine planning zones, and an overview of the methodology used to extend the current marine planning zones.
This paper seeks views on the proposal to extend marine planning zones and on the maps which define the proposed zones.
Read the consultation paper and associated impact assessments. The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation. You may find it useful to read or refer to while responding.
Useful information about responding to this consultation
As you complete your response, each page will provide the option to 'Save and come back later' at the bottom. This means you can save your progress and return to the consultation at any time before it closes. If you don't use this feature and leave the consultation midway through, your response will be lost.
Once you have submitted your response, you can enter your email address to get a pdf copy of your answers sent to you.
On the 'About You' page at the end of this consultation, organisations will have the opportunity to tell us more about their work and/or how their response was informed.
After the consultation has closed there will be a few months delay before any responses are published. This is because we must check any responses to be published abide by our Terms of Use.
A analysis report will usually be published some months after the consultation has closed. This report will summarise the findings based on all responses submitted. It will be published on the Scottish Government website and you may be notified about it if you choose to share your email address with us. You can also join our consulation mailing list where we regularly list newly published analysis reports (as well as new consultations).
What happens next
Your responses will be analysed alongside those from other respondees. A consultation analyis report will be published during 2025
Interests
- Marine and Fisheries
- Main hub
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