Question reference: S6W-24253
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 22 December 2023
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Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 January 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role local authorities will have in relation to the regulation of seaweed aquaculture in their area.
Answer
Local authorities are a non-statutory consultee to the marine licence application determination process. This allows the local authority to make representations on any marine licence application for a proposed seaweed farm.
The exception is in the case of Marine Planning Partnerships, who are statutory consultees to marine licence applications. A Local Authority may form the whole, or part of a Marine Planning Partnership as per section 12(2) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Sole delegates are possible, and Orkney Islands Council is the sole delegate for regional marine planning in the Scottish marine region for the Orkney Islands. Local authorities are not therefore statutory consultees but may be consulted in their remit as part of a marine planning partnership (where applicable).