On Tuesday 3 September, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) published the Finfish Aquaculture Sector Plan, the strategic vision for environmental regulation of the sector.
The focus of a seven week consultation in November 2018, including SEPA’s most extensive public engagement programme across Scotland, the finfish aquaculture sector plan has been informed by feedback from local communities, NGOs, industry and partner agencies with an interest in shaping SEPA’s new regulatory approach.
- The sector plan is ambitious in its aspirations for an industry where in the future:
The Scottish finfish aquaculture sector recognises that protecting the environment is fundamental to its success and is foremost in all its plans and operations.
The sector is a world-leading innovator of ways to minimise the environmental footprint of food production and supply.
The sector has a strong and positive relationship with neighbouring users of the environment and the communities in which it operates. It is valued nationally for its contribution to achieving global food security.
A key focus of the plan is to ensure that all operators in the sector will reach and maintain full compliance with Scotland’s environmental protection laws, while working to help as many operators as possible to move beyond compliance. The sector plan accompanies the firm, evidence-based regulatory framework that was published on 1 June 2019.
SEPA’s Scotland-wide consultation received 117 responses and was supported by nine community drop-in events and 28 one-to-one meetings between SEPA specialists and stakeholder groups. A short summary of the consultation feedback has been published alongside the sector plan and this can be accessed by clicking here.