2014 Consultation on the Management of Inshore Special Areas of Conservation and Marine Protected Areas Approaches.

Duty to assess the impact of prohibition or restriction of activities

The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 requires Scottish Ministers to assess the impact of a Marine Conservation Order. Although this does not apply to measures under the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984 we are undertaking the assessment in the same manner.

The assessment must consider the socio-economic effects of the measures. It must also consider the environmental effects on the MPA in question and elsewhere in Scotland's seas. If there is an adverse effect identified then reasonable practical steps should be taken to minimise this.