OpenLegislation

Explanatory note

Original text. Later amendments are not shown.

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

The Bill for the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (“the Act”) received Royal Assent on 12 March 2026. Sections 57, 58, 59 and 60 of the Act came into force the following day. These Regulations commence the following provisions on 26 October 2026—

  1. (a)

    sections 3 to 10 (national parks),

  2. (b)

    sections 11 to 13 (deer management: aims, purposes, advisory panels and code of practice),

  3. (c)

    sections 21 to 25 (deer management: harm prevention and national plan),

  4. (d)

    section 28 (giving notices electronically),

  5. (e)

    sections 31, 33 to 36 and 40 (deer management: authorisations for particular activities and review of modifications to the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996),

  6. (f)

    section 42 (nature conservation marine protected areas: climate adaptation),

  7. (g)

    section 45 (report on gull population),

  8. (h)

    section 46 (guidance about scallop shells),

  9. (i)

    sections 47 and 48 (wildlife licensing),

  10. (j)

    section 49 (wildfires: enabling local authorities to issue fixed penalty notices),

  11. (k)

    section 50 (meaning of public authority, etc. in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004), and

  12. (l)

    sections 51, 52(1), (2) and (6), 53 and 54 (Ramsar sites, sustainable forest management, unauthorised felling and improvement plans).

Section 32(5) (offence of shooting deer with a shotgun) of the Act is commenced for the limited purpose of making regulations under section 45 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.