Marine litter strategy: consultation

Introduction to the Consultation

This consultation is one of the final stages in the process of updating the Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland. A large amount of work has already been undertaken with guidance from the Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group. Membership of the Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group includes representatives from academia, environmental charities and non-governmental organisations, terrestrial litter interests, the fishing industry, and public bodies that have responsibility for dealing with pollution in our waterways.

Marine Scotland is leading this work and we are now seeking input from the public and other organisations to finalise the strategy and action plan before it is published.

We have gone through various stages of engagement with partners and stakeholders.

The first stage was to review the original strategy, and agree that the overall aims and intent of the strategy were still valid and relevant, and that the strategic directions (objectives) were considering the correct issues. These workshops took place in late 2019 and identified the need for changes in a refreshed strategy. Work was paused in 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

In 2021, we worked with partners and stakeholders to consider which areas were of most concern and what specific actions we could take to effect a positive change. These online meetings were held during Summer 2021, with further input gathered in Autumn 2021.

These actions have been agreed as work that can be realistically achieved within the next six years, bearing in mind the staff and monetary resources that we and our partners have available. Each action has a timeframe, a responsible lead organisation, and a tangible output that can be measured. This is so we can demonstrate progress, transparency and accountability.

The action plan can be viewed in Part 4 (Strategic Directions and Actions) of this consultation paper. The plan can also be viewed as an Excel document in the Supporting Documents section on this consultation's page on the Scottish Government consultation website.

The purpose of this consultation is not to repeat the earlier engagement process progressed by the Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group. Rather, it seeks wide-ranging views on the range of actions that have been identified as priorities to guide our work over the next six years.

Analysis of consultation responses will ensure the right final approach, and will be used to finalise the Marine Litter Strategy and Action Plan.

The consultation contains 12 questions, and these can be found in Part 4 of this document.

Other Relevant Consultations

The National Litter and Flytipping Strategy is the terrestrial litter strategy for Scotland. The majority of litter in the sea has originated from land, and as such this terrestrial strategy and action plan will directly impact on marine litter levels. A consultation on the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy is open until 31 March 2022 and you may also wish to respond to this. You can do so at National litter and flytipping strategy consultation - Scottish Government - Citizen Space