Marine proposed Special Protection Areas strategic environmental assessment: post adoption statement

7 Monitoring

7.1.1 Section 19 of the 2005 Act requires the Responsible Authority to monitor significant environmental impacts arising as a result of the implementation of the plan, programme or strategy. The purpose of the monitoring is to identify any unforeseen adverse effects at an early stage and to enable appropriate remedial action to be taken.

7.1.2 No significant adverse environmental effects were identified in the Environmental Report and therefore no mitigation or monitoring measures were proposed by the SEA (Section 4).

7.1.3 It should be noted that NatureScot, JNCC and the Scottish Government are committed to continued data collection and monitoring under The Scottish MPA Monitoring Strategy^[46]. This sets out the drivers and direction for monitoring of the MPA network to ensure that appropriate information is collected to underpin assessment and reporting obligations. The strategy outlines the principles for prioritisation of monitoring efforts, how the data will be collated and data management.

7.1.4 The results of MPA monitoring will be used to inform future decisions on the management of the classified SPAs. Any management measures that are proposed in future to meet the objectives of the SPAs will be subject to further consideration under the 2005 Act, involving a separate SEA. Should significant adverse environmental effects be identified as a result of any future proposed management measures, there will be a need to consider appropriate mitigation measures and monitoring proposals.