Calling all marine and coastal leisure seekers in Orkney!

Surfer, sailor, swimmer, sea angler, kayaker, wildlife watcher, beachcomber - if you enjoy marine and coastal recreation adventures, then the Council wants to hear from you!

The OIC’s Development and Marine Planning Team need your help to identify the best loved, most used areas and facilities relating to sea and coastal activities and adventures.

James Green is a Senior Policy Planner with the Council’s Development and Marine Planning and he explained that they have launched a local survey using an interactive online mapping/questionnaire platform called “Maptionnaire”.

“The Council is currently preparing the Orkney Islands Regional Marine Plan to help manage marine development and activities in Orkney waters. To inform the preparation of the Plan, we are collecting information on the coastal and marine recreational activities that take place in Orkney including diving, sailing, kayaking, swimming, surfing, sea angling, wildlife watching, and beachcombing to name a few, right down to telling us your favourite beaches to visit.

“This information is being collected via the Orkney Coastal and Marine Recreation Survey and will include the activities of recreational clubs, businesses, and individual members of the community. The information collected will be used to identify important areas and facilities for coastal and marine recreation to help inform coastal and marine planning in Orkney.”

The survey will record where and when recreational activities are taking place and the facilities used for these purposes, for example carparks, piers, slipways and public toilets.

Mr Green continued: “The survey is being hosted on a community engagement platform called Maptionnaire which enables participant to record information on a digital map. It’s quick and easy to respond to and can be accessed on desktop and mobile devices.”

The survey is live now and available until 17^th June 2022 from here: www.orkney.gov.uk/Seeker or simply scan the QR image to access.