Marine Pollution
What is the Scottish Government's role in the event of an oil spill?
How well prepared are the Scottish Government and its agencies to respond to a major oil spill?
What were the environmental implications of the Braer incident?
What is the Scottish Government doing to reduce the likelihood of a major oil spill, such as that of the Braer and Prestige, happening again?
What is the Scottish Government's role in the event of an oil spill?
The role of Marine Scotland, acting on behalf of the Scottish Government and a number of other statutory bodies, such as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is set out in the latest version of the National Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations (NCP) which came into force during August 2006. Beneath this there is also an Operating Agreement between the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Scottish Government on Marine Pollution Contingency Planning which was most recently reviewed and agreed during January 2009. Marine Scotland is also in the process of finalising its own internal Emergency Response Plan in relation to the marine pollution events.
Within the Plan, the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for the protection of the marine environment and the living resources that it supports in waters adjacent to Scotland. The Scottish Government manages this responsibility through the provision of advice on fisheries, environmental and natural heritage matters from Marine Scotland Science, SEPA and SNH respectively. The Marine Planning Branch of Marine Scotland has lead responsibility within the Scottish Government for co-ordinating briefing to the Scottish Ministers and the Press Office of the Scottish Government Media and Communications Group.
The Scottish Government and its agencies would also be involved in any Shoreline Response Centre and Environment Group set up under the terms of the NCP to deal with the incident. In addition, the Scottish Government is responsible as licensing authority for approving the use of chemical dispersants in shallow coastal waters.
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How well prepared are the Scottish Government and its agencies to respond to a major oil spill?
In the event of a major oil spill in the UK, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) will activate the National Contingency Plan (NCP), calling on participation or assistance from relevant statutory bodies. The roles of the Scottish Government and all associated bodies are laid out within the NCP.
The NCP is tested at different locations around the UK. The last major exercise in Scotland was conducted in relation to a spill from an offshore oil platform during June 2008. This included participation by the Scottish Government and its agencies. Such exercises provide all participating bodies with the opportunity to learn and develop new procedures that can be applied to real life episodes in such an incident.
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What were the environmental implications of the Braer incident?
In January 1993, the oil tanker Braer (en route from Norway to Canada carrying 84,700 tonnes of crude oil as cargo, and around 1,500 tonnes of fuel oil) ran aground on rocks at the southern tip of the Shetland Isles, releasing all the oil it was carrying into the marine environment. Fortunately the timing, location and severe weather conditions resulted in the majority of the oil being dispersed throughout the sea, where it underwent a process of rapid dispersion in the water column. Only one per cent (at most) of the Braer's load was deposited on the Shetland coastline.
Subsequent monitoring has shown that the impact of the oil spill on the environment and ecology of South Shetland was largely minimal due to natural phenomena. Adverse impacts did occur, but these were both localised and limited in nature due to the resilience of ecosystems and species populations. In addition, the crude oil was of 'light' grade, resulting in the slick being broken up and dispersed more quickly than would have occurred had it been 'heavy' grade oil.
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What is the Scottish Government doing to reduce the likelihood of a major oil spill, such as that of the Braer and Prestige, happening again?
In the aftermath of the Braer incident, the UK government instituted an inquiry (chaired by Lord Donaldson) to advise on any measures required to protect the UK coastline from pollution by merchant shipping. The Report was published in May 1994 under the title 'Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas'. The Report highlighted a number of recommendations, which have subsequently been adopted.
Policy on shipping is a reserved matter for Department of Transport (DfT), but the Scottish Government works very closely with the DfT and Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) on the National Contingency Plan (NCP) and in pollution exercises.
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