Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40144 on 10 September 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40144 on 10 September 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government intends to include blue carbon in the next Climate Change Plan, based on the best available scientific evidence.

However, there are still evidence gaps relating to blue carbon habitats that impact on a) how blue carbon habitats can be monitored with regard to the potential contribution to climate change mitigation and b) the way in which they can be included in the next Climate Change Plan.

At present, no blue carbon habitats are included in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory. The Scottish Government supports inclusion of saltmarsh and seagrass in the inventory, as data collection methods are improved, and is working collaboratively with the UK Government and other Devolved Governments, through the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership, towards their inclusion.

The Scottish Government is also supporting research to address evidence gaps across all blue carbon habitats, as set out in the Scottish Blue Carbon Action Plan (published 10 September). Addressing these evidence gaps will support progress towards inclusion of blue carbon habitats in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory and will inform our approach to monitoring contributions to the net zero targets.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39996 on 3 September 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The assessment process for seabed leasing for offshore wind and other marine renewable developments and the criteria that underpins that process, is a matter for Crown Estate Scotland.

We have not done a formal assessment of barriers at this stage, however we discuss issues such as this through our engagements with industry and will consider barriers in the course of our work to develop a climate change action plan for fisheries.

The Scottish Government has not given consideration to a blanket ban on dredging or bottom trawling, however, it is standard management practice to put in place measures that limit these and other types of fishing methods for a variety of reasons relating to fish stock management and conservation management as required.

Scotland’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) network covers 37% of our seas, meeting the globally agreed target to conserve at least 30% of marine areas through protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures by 2030.

In addition to existing management arrangements, the Scottish Government is committed to introducing fisheries management measures within MPAs where such measures are required but not yet in place. This commitment also extends to a selection of Priority Marine Features (PMFs) located outside the MPA network.

Implementation of fisheries management measures for MPAs in offshore waters (beyond 12 nautical miles) is scheduled for 2025. A public consultation on proposed measures for MPAs and PMFs in inshore waters (within 12 nautical miles) is planned to commence in November 2025.

The number of fishers working on Scottish registered vessels on 31 December 2024, whose main gear in 2024 was a towed gear (trawl or dredge), was 1,761. This includes 1,708 regular fishers and 53 irregular fishers. This information is provisional and may be revised when the final Sea Fisheries Statistics publication is released in October 2025.

The Scottish Government regularly reviews the latest scientific evidence to inform our policy approach to protecting the marine environment, including natural carbon stores, from potentially harmful activities.

We are currently preparing a Blue Carbon Action Plan (BCAP), which will set out what we are doing to address key evidence gaps and how we are integrating consideration of natural carbon stores into the marine policy landscape. As part of the development of the BCAP, we have carefully considered the impact of human activities, including fishing, on natural carbon stores. Understanding the impact of bottom trawling on blue carbon is one of our priority evidence gaps and, in collaboration with the Scottish Blue Carbon Forum, we have been progressing research to better understand its impact on seabed carbon.