MARINE ECONOMY INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Tender description

MARINE ECONOMY INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ASSESSMENT The coastal area of Argyll and Bute is an exceptional economic, environmental and social asset. The extensive and varied coastline is of national, and in some parts international significance, containing many areas of special landscape and ecological significance. It is also home to the majority of Argyll and Bute’s population and a major focus for economic activity, recreation and tourism. The Argyll and Bute economy and many of our coastal communities, particularly in remote rural or island communities, are heavily dependent on a range of maritime economic sectors including fishing, aquaculture, marine transport and shipping, marine tourism, military use, marine services and marine science. The local marine environment is therefore of strategic importance to the local economy and can also play a key role in supporting a Green Recovery post Covid-19 which is a key priority within the latest Programme for Government. The maritime economy makes a significant contribution to the wider Argyll and Bute economy and provides direct and indirect year-round jobs which are important for coastal communities with downstream jobs supported in transport, processing, support services and equipment manufacturing. This sector has grown in recent years and has significant potential for further growth, particularly in relation to aquaculture, marine renewables, life sciences and biotechnology, and marine tourism, which have strong ambitions for growth both nationally and regionally. While the marine renewable energy industry has not developed significantly in Argyll and Bute there is significant potential for future tidal, wave and offshore wind development, particularly as Scotland embraces zero-carbon ambitions.