Firth of Clyde Forum Annual Conference 2006

Introduction
Marine management around the UK is changing; there is a growing awareness that the marine environment needs a form of coordinated and integrated planning to achieve sustainable resource management, streamline regulatory processes and reduce potential conflicts between sectors.  Both the UK Marine Bill Consultation document and the Minister for Environment and Rural Development’s Advisory Group on Marine and Coastal Strategy (AGMACS) identify Marine Spatial Planning as a possible tool to achieve this. 

Marine Spatial Planning is a particularly relevant topic for the Firth of Clyde as the Scottish Executive has tasked the Scottish Sustainable Marine Environment Initiative (SSMEI) Clyde Pilot Project with producing a Local Marine Spatial  Plan for the Clyde. The findings of this project will be used to inform future management of Scotland’s seas.

The aims of this conference are:

• to inform delegates of the current developments in Marine Spatial Planning in the UK;
• to create dialogue between stakeholders and collect their views for input into the development of a Local Marine Spatial Plan;

• to input into wider discussions on Marine Spatial Planning at both a local and national level.

The Firth of Clyde Forum is a voluntary partnership of local authorities, organisations, businesses and communities committed to working towards integrated, sustainable management of the Clyde's environmental, economic and community resources. 

The Firth of Clyde Forum's area extends from the upper tidal limit of the River Clyde in Glasgow City centre, seawards to the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire. It includes the Mull of Kintyre, the Clyde's sea lochs, and the islands of Arran, Bute and the Cumbraes.

Firth of Clyde Forum Membership entitles you to half price Annual Conference fees for up to 3 members of your organisation, free attendance at two Firth of Clyde Forum Information Events each year and a number of other benefits which can be found at www.clydeforum.org/membership/

The SSMEI Clyde Pilot is aimed at the development and delivery of more integrated and sustainable management of the marine and coastal areas of the Firth of Clyde through an effective and integrated stakeholder-regulator partnership.  It aims to achieve this through the creation of a Local Marine Spatial Plan together with improved decision support mechanisms and integrated decision making, which will be underpinned by the application of the ecosystem based approach to sustainable development. 

A steering group, made up of the main stakeholders and regulators within the Firth of Clyde and chaired by Isabel Glasgow, provides direction and oversight on the outputs of the Clyde Pilot.  The Clyde Pilot has been set the tight deadline of December 2007 to produce a Local Marine Spatial Plan for the Firth of Clyde, a period of 18 months, and a further 18 months to implement the Plan. 

Venue
The Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Architecture, Design and The City, 11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow G1 3NU

Further details from Claire Pescod:  Phone  0141 951 0820  Fax  0141 951 8948.  Maps, directions and speaker’s biographies can be found on the Firth of Clyde Forum website: www.clydeforum.org  or email:  clyde@clydeforum.org

Programme

The Firth of Clyde Forum is funded through the generous support of Scottish Natural Heritage, Clydeport, the Crown Estate and SEPA.  We also receive support in kind from Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan Joint Committee.

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