Develop policy to address contaminants that exceed OSPAR threshold values.
Objective 1: Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration
Priority Action 4. Improve Resilience in Coastal and Marine Systems by reducing pressures and increase and safeguard space for coastal habitat change
There is no clearly identified, standalone Scottish policy specifically developed to address contaminants exceeding OSPAR threshold values.
Relevant work is being progressed through existing frameworks, including the UK Marine Strategy and Scotland’s River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) 2021–2027, which monitor and manage chemical status in marine and freshwater environments. These frameworks align with OSPAR objectives and include measures to reduce pollution from priority substances.
However, no specific new policy or targeted consultation has been published that directly addresses exceedances of OSPAR threshold values as a distinct action.
SEPA and UK Marine Strategy frameworks already monitor and regulate chemical pollution in marine and freshwater environments, with measures aimed at reducing inputs of priority hazardous substances. However, there is currently no standalone Scottish policy specifically designed to address contaminants exceeding OSPAR threshold values as a distinct management action. Instead, relevant activity is embedded within broader frameworks such as the River Basin Management Plans and UK Marine Strategy reporting.
This means OSPAR-relevant contaminant exceedances are being addressed indirectly through existing pollution control systems rather than through a targeted policy response focused on threshold exceedance reduction. A dedicated policy aligned explicitly to OSPAR thresholds could strengthen compliance, improve targeting of priority pollutants, and enhance marine ecosystem health through more direct intervention on exceedance hotspots.
UK Marine Strategy Part One Assessment (2024)
Scottish Government – River Basin Management Plans 2021–2027
OSPAR – Hazardous substances and contaminants
Identify and address gaps in current evidence on coastal habitats, through research and monitoring as an enabling action for all coastal biodiversity actions (2024-2028) and fund research commencing in 2024 into better quantifying the adaptation benefits of coastal landforms and habitats to maximise biodiversity benefits.
Complete an initial prioritisation exercise identifying accommodation space to be protected for coastal habitat change to promote recovery and adaptation, and identify potential future mechanism(s) to deliver recovery and adaptation, including agricultural subsidies.
Reduce marine litter and marine plastics by implementing the Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland (published 2022) through a six-year action plan that includes: {supporting the improvement of waste management for end of life fishing gear. Enable improved plastic pellet handling and management across the plastics supply chain to reduce pellet loss, and provide guidance to support pellet clean up in…
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