Labour MSP Claudia Beamish says decentralising the management of the Crown Estate assets will allow for greater consideration of local needs and empowerment of communities.

At a time when our seas are under pressure from climate change, any new industry must be guaranteed in is sustainability she argues.

Healthy ecosystems effect us all but especially coastal communities, Ms Beamish says.

Crown Estate Scotland, external manages land and property owned by the Monarch in right of the Crown.

It works with people and organisations to ensure that the assets are managed in a sustainable way that creates prosperity for the Scotland and its communities.

The business was set up following the Scotland Act 2016 and pays all revenue profit to the Scottish Consolidated Fund.

In relation to the rest of the UK, the remit of our predecessor organisation The Crown Estate remains unchanged, with its profits continuing to go to the UK Government.

Image source, Crown Estate Scotland

Crown Estate Scotland

• Is responsible for managing a range of rural, coastal and marine assets, as well as some commercial property
• Leases land and property to 2000 individuals and businesses, working with them to help them succeed
• Supports aquaculture, farming, forestry, tourism and offshore renewables through leasing, research and other activities
• Invests in marine leisure facilities to support coastal communities
• Is guided at all times by our core values of excellence, commercialism, collaboration and integrity.

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Tory MSP John Scott says while abstaining on Mark Ruskell's kelp amendment, he regrets the way it will become law.

Mr Scott explains there was no formal evidence heard by a committee on kelp dredging.

Green MSP Andy Wightman intervenes to say the parliament allows for this to happen.

Mr Scott agrees, but says it should have reverted to the Stage 1 committee process, but this could not happen because the Stage 2 process had been completed.

"Oh my goodness I've lost my place in the speech!"

Mr Scott welcomes the root and branch review of kelp harvesting and hopes the door will not be closed on Marine Biopolymers (MBL).

Image source, Getty Images

Ms Cunningham turns to the harvesting of kelp, saying the amendments that were agreed will ensure better regulation of the industry.

Ms Cunningham says the review she has announced recognises there is current interest and there may be more.

She urges everyone who is interested to engage with the government and relevant authorities on the issue of harvesting kelp.

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Enivironment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham says this is the first time the Scottish Parliament has ever legislated on the management of the Crown Estate, making this a landmark bill.

Ms Cunningham says the Scottish Crown Estate should reflect devolution.

The mangement of its assets must benefit local communities and the nation, says the minister.

The environment minister says there are parts of the estate which cannot be expected to make money and others are better managed in that regard.

Image source, Getty images

MSPs debate the Scottish Crown Estate Bill, external for the last time before voting on whether to pass it at decision time.

Powers over the estate were devolved to Scotland in April 2017 and it's been operated under interim management since then.

The bill will create opportunities for local authorities and community groups to run parts of the estate.

Read more here.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur turns to his amendments on a group about transferring net revenues to relevant local authorities.

He explains it will see 100% of net revenue passed to local authorities from Scottish Crown Estate assets.

Tory MSP John Scott suggests these amendments are unnecessary.

He also says he disagrees that 100% of revenue should be passed on, insisting this is not entirely fair to others.

Green MSP Andy Wightman backs the amendments, arguing it places a "long-standing promise" on statutory footing.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham says an interim formula based-approach has been agreed with COSLA and therefore argues there is no need for legislation.

Mr McArthur withdraws the amendments.

The stage 3 amendment of the debate on the Scottish Crown Estate Bill concludes.

Tory MSP John Scott says his amendment calls for a list of Scottish Crown Estate assets and liabilities to be published so we can see who owns what.

This list should be published annually, allowing an annual inventory he says.

The minister assures Mr Scott this information will be available and calls on John Scott to withdraw his amendment which he duly does.

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Prior to the kelp vote Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur spoke to his amendments relating to community benefit requests.

Mr McArthur pionted out local communities should be compensated due to deveolpments

The commitment to community benefit needs to be in this act insisted Mr McArthur.

The minister replied that these amendments were unneccessary.

Mr McArthur withdrew his amendment 42.

MSPs back Green MSP Mark Ruskell's amendments to the amendment on the restriction of the removal of wild kelp from the seabed with 89 votes for, while 28 MSPs abstained.

The amended amendment is also passed with 89 for and 28 abstentions.

This places restriction on kelp harvesting if it is a licensable marine activity - in other words, a specific type of kelp harvesting but not all types.

Ms Cunningham says the issues around seaweed harvesting show there are serious questions about this.

This is a growing industry and the potential has not been fully explored, she says.

But member's must be aware there are five methods of harvesting kelp and only one of which is controversial, the environment secretary adds.

Mr Ruskell accepts that not all commercial interests are bad, but they must be able to sustain themselves for generations to come he adds.

We're in a good place now and it is up to industry to innovate around the backstop we have put in place, he says.

The vote on these all important amendments will happen shortly.......

Image source, Getty Images

Backers of a controversial plan to harvest kelp off the Scottish coast have said it could support a £300m industry.

The proposal to collect 30,000 tonnes of kelp came from Ayr-based Marine Biopolymers (MBL).

It claimed the material could allow it to create "invisible armour" or slow-release cancer drugs.

MSPs are preparing to vote on a measure which could ban the removal of entire kelp plants.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell successfully amended the Scottish Crown Estate Bill after 14,000 people signed a petition against kelp dredging.

Read more here.

Labour MSP Johann Lamont stresses the importance of science and evidence being used going forward and points to the importance of the socioeconomic impact being taken into account.

Ms Lamont says there has to be an economic approach that is sustainable and protects jobs in the communities.

She explains that science must not be put to one side.

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Green MSP John Finnie intervenes that the proponents of the amendments only want to see sustainable kelp farming.

The Labour MSP replies she wants her nephews to be able to work and live in the communities in which they were born.

Commercial opportunities are not necessarily a problem for communities if they take a sustainable approach, she says.

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Gail Ross thanks people in the public gallery for their efforts on this issue, including the Ullapool Sea Savers and those campaigners who could not be here.

Ms Ross welcomes the review announced by the cabinet secretary today.

Image source, bbc

Image source, Getty images

A review of regulations around the harvesting of kelp from waters around Scotland is to be launched by the Scottish government, amid a row over whether large-scale commercial operations should be allowed. What's going on, and what does it all mean?.

Opposition MSPs are seeking to ban mechanical harvesting, with Green member Mark Ruskell putting down an amendment to the Scottish Crown Estate Bill, externalt o bar any technique which "would inhibit the regrowth of the individual plant".

That bill goes before members for the final time this afternoon, and Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said that after some "clarifications and qualifications", the government would support Mr Ruskell's amendment.

She also said she would be announcing a "review of the regulatory regime for all kelp harvesting activity, up to and including farming".

One Scottish company, Marine Biopolymers Ltd (MBL), has applied to harvest up to 30,000 tonnes of a specific species of kelp -Laminaria hyperborea- off the west coast each year.

Our colleague Philip Sim has much more on the issue of dredging kelp here.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish welcomes the minister's amendment and particularly welcomes the review of the kelp harvesting regulatory regime.

Ms Beamish insists the seabed belongs to the people of Scotland and sustainable development must be at the heart of what all managers do.

Any future harvesting should be sustainable and there have been many submissions pointing to the benefits of kelp, she argues.