Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 - updating environmental standards: consultation analysis

1. Introduction

In 2014, prior to the publication of the second River Basin Management Plans, Scottish Ministers directed SEPA to apply a range of environmental standards in protecting and improving the water environment. They also directed SEPA on the use of the standards in assessing the status of the water environment.

We are now proposing to update the 2014 Directions to reflect the latest scientific understanding of the standards needed for a healthy water environment. Our proposals are primarily based on recommendations from UK Technical Advisory Group on the Water Framework Directive ("UKTAG"), a partnership of the UK environment and conservation agencies. UKTAG consulted on the scientific basis underpinning its recommendations during 2019/20.^[1]

Our consultation "Implementing the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003: Updating environmental standards for the water environment" proposed a small number of changes to standards and assessment methods for Scotland's water environment. The consultation ran from October until December 2020. We received 14 responses in total; a list of respondents is attached below.

• Confor - promoting forestry and wood
• Fisheries Management Scotland
• Forth District Salmon Fishery Board
• Individual - anonymous
• Individual - anonymous
• Individual - Delfin Ramirez Ruiz
• NatureScot
• Scottish Anglers National Association
• Scottish and Southern Energy Plc
• Scottish Environment LINK
• Scottish Land and Estates
• Scottish Water
• Tay District Salmond Fisheries Board
• The Law Society of Scotland

This document contains a summary of the responses received. Full responses (other than those marked as confidential) have been published on the Scottish Government's Citizen Space consultation web page.