Description
Steering Group advises Scottish Government on data sets required for statutory and other purposes princiaplly related to the state of Scotlands seas and marine planning. In particular, the group assesses the quality and utlitly of datasets to be submitted for use on the National Marine Plan Interactive web portal.1. The objectives are:
o To maintain NMPi with input from all appropriate data sources on an on-going basis, using excellent quality science and data.
o To provide maps with clear data, appropriate trends graphs, suitable text and case studies (to portray a particularly important / special point) and suitable photographs to make NMPi informative.
o To ensure data or information are at the most appropriate scale for national and regional marine planning as well as for vision and MSFD reporting.
o To maintain a flexible data layer structure in NMPi to meet its various requirements. To base this on:
data / information using the DPSIR approach as appropriate. It is recognised that there will not be a consistent level of data / information for all activities, pressures and impacts due to the way that data are currently collected. It would be beneficial to include a “state of our knowledge” assessment for all data. The assessment basis used should be stipulated.
Current figures for the various parameters reported and trend data (minimum last 5 years if possible but longer if that provides important contextual information)
A clear overall assessment of the status of Scotland’s seas against the vision (consideration will also be given to the 11 MSFD GES descriptors), using a similar approach as Charting Progress 2 and the OSPAR QSR.
o To include Scottish data collected for a wide range of purposes, including statutory monitoring regimes (UK and EU legislative requirements)
o To add extra detail [Scottish colour] through use of grey literature data and non-statutory sources (e.g. peer reviewed publications), with the steering group using discretion as to what is included; and.
o To meet the requirements of the assessments for the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.
Scope
2. The project will consider:
a. the data necessary to maintain and update NMPi layers regularly
b. the data necessary to report on the vision and MSFD as necessary, for the national performance framework.
c. Marine Scotland’s and its partners’ capacity to deliver an on-going NMPi;
d. involving all statutory data holders (e.g. MS-S, SEPA, SNH, JNCC, BODC, BGS…) and appropriate academic partners (e.g. MASTS); and
e. stakeholder engagement
3. The project team (steering group) will be drawn from MS-MPP, MS-S, SEPA, SNH, JNCC and MASTS. Steering Group Terms of Reference are:
1. to work together to ensure relevant and up-to-date data and information are provided to the NMPi, in an easily accessible and downloadable format, to inform the national and regional marine planning processes.
2. to ensure processes for data exchange and quality assurance are agreed and implemented..
3. to ensure overall assessments of the state of Scotland’s seas are completed at agreed intervals to meet the requirements of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. See Assessments timetable for list of all marine type assessment due in next 10 years.
4. to consider how keeping NMPi up to date” supports environmental data / information initiatives and environmental reporting.
5. to evolve the associated data and information systems, as demand requires, to meet marine planning and / or other drivers.
6. Review the Terms of Reference at intervals to ensure relevant and up to date and in line with Project Initiation (Definition) Document.
MASTS representative, but with personal experience of dealing with statutory data requirements in the marine environment related to planning and licencing of activities such as aquaculture.
| Period | 2013 → 2018 |
|---|---|
| Held at | Scotland's Seas Data Assessment Steering Group, United Kingdom |