Untangled: Understanding Scotland’s Marine Law and Policy
To support a needs-based assessment of legal, policy, and related challenges in marine planning, the Aberdeen University Centre for Energy Law (AUCEL), in collaboration with the Fishmonger’s Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust, hosted a workshop on marine law and policy on Thursday, 17 April 2025. Dr Mitchell Lennan, member of the Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Fisheries and Coastal Communities in Scotland, led on the organisation of the event and facilitated the discussions on the day.
The workshop titled ‘Untangled: Understanding Scotland’s Marine Law and Policy’ convened University of Aberdeen academics from diverse disciplines, representatives from the Scottish Government, sectoral groups including fishing industry representatives and marine conservation NGOs, alongside non-MSP members of the CPG for a multi-stakeholder dialogue.
The workshop was divided into two sessions. The morning session, which explored the legal and policy dynamics of Marine Spatial Planning in Scotland, featured two key presentations: an update on the Second National Marine Plan (NMP2) from Marine Scotland's Louise O’Hara Murray, and an analysis of implications of the Open Seas case by Professor Anne-Michelle Slater. The subsequent Q&A sessions for each presentation enabled direct engagement with the government’s policy processes and offered access to Professor Slater's extensive expertise. This was followed by breakout group discussions exploring novel focus areas for the NMP2, mitigation strategies for spatial/ocean squeeze, and the significance of the CPG in the marine spatial planning process.
The afternoon session adopted an interdisciplinary approach to examining marine regulation, with presentations on a range of interconnected topics. These included ‘Ecosystem Effects of Offshore Wind, Fishing and Climate Change’ by Professor Beth Scott (School of Biological Sciences), ‘Inshore Fisheries, Energy, Conservation and the Blue Demos’ by Dr Jeremy Anbleyth-Evans (Independent Researcher), and ‘Offshore Energy Regulation in Scotland’ by Dr Daria Shapovalova (School of Law). As in the morning, each presentation was followed by a Q&A segment and breakout group discussions focused on enhancing knowledge sharing within the CPG, identifying new knowledge areas for marine spatial planning and regulation, and addressing key policy gaps.
The workshop concluded with a plenary session reflecting on the CPG’s future work and identifying key policy priorities, followed by closing remarks from the facilitators, Dr Mitchell Lennan and Dr Paula Duffy.
With funding from the Fishmonger’s Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust, a forthcoming report led by Dr Mitchell Lennan will detail the workshop’s key findings and discussions. This report aims to inform the future policy direction of the CPG, guide broader policymaking, and contribute to a sustainable future for Scotland’s coastal communities.