Question reference: S6W-24256
- 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 pre-application consultation procedures relating to marine licensing of seaweed aquaculture will be introduced.
Answer
Prospective applicants for marine licences for certain activities are required to carry out public pre-application consultation under the Marine Licensing (Pre-Application Consultation) (Scotland) Regulations 2013. The pre-application consultation process allows local communities, environmental groups and other interested parties to comment on proposed marine projects before a marine licence application is submitted. The construction of a seaweed farm, where the total area in which the farm is to be located exceeds 1000 square metres, is subject to the statutory pre-application consultation process.
The Scottish Government also encourages any prospective applicants to liaise with local stakeholders early in the project planning stages to make other marine users aware of the proposal.