Marine Policy at SAMS

SAMS is increasingly involved in marine policy at local, national and international levels. Our marine policy research aims to improve interactions between scientists, policymakers, industry and the public. Our research feeds into the core debates on marine sustainability, so that decision makers can be informed by the latest science, scientists can guage from policymakers the policy directions that require scientific input, and the public and private sector can be informed and be an integral participant in marine and coastal policy making.

At SAMS we are pursuing the following initiatives in marine policy research:

• Establishing  the Centre for Coastal and Oceans Governance (CCOG)

• Growing the SAMS Marine Policy Forum
• Integrating marine policy studies into the undergraduate curriculum and postgraduate research
• Being responsive to key policy developments in Scotland, the UK and internationally e.g. the Scottish and UK marine bills
• Provision of independent research to support policy development, decision making and governance.

 Earth is the 'Blue Planet' - the oceans occupy 71% of its surface. Human society fundamentally relies on the oceans and coasts to survive and develop. The discipline of marine policy reflects the interaction and relationships between human society and the marine environment.

The oceans provide many fundamental ecosystem goods and services: from living and non-living resources that support economies and communities to the fundamental process that allow life to survive.

Marine policy, a part of the discipline of environmental policy, recognises the fundamental links that exist between human society and the oceans and the need to manage impacts and move towards sustainable use of coastal and marine environments.

Marine policy research explores the way coastal and marine environments are managed from local to international scales, and finds solutions to pressing marine problems. There is a natural focus on the process of government and public policy but the discipline is increasingly focusing on the concept of governance – the relationships between different societal actors and their interests and how they influence the sustainability of the oceans.

Scottish Marine Bill

The Scottish Marine Bill is a major reform to the management of the seas and coasts around Scotland. SAMS conducted a response to the consultation on the Marine Bill and aims to provide further research supporting the development of marine management and policy frameworks in Scotland.

Click here for the full response from SAMS.