34.Subsection (1) requires SEPA, by 22 December 2004, to prepare and maintain a register of protected areas for each river basin district in accordance with regulations made by the Scottish Ministers. The duty to “maintain” the register covers keeping it under review and up to date.
35.Subsection (2) gives an indication of the matters in respect of which the regulations may make provision. It enables Ministers to specify the date by which a register is to be prepared, its form and the information which it must contain.
36.This section will enable the Scottish Ministers to implement Article 6 of the Directive. The wording in subsection (4) mirrors to some extent the terminology used in Article 6(1) and Annex IV to the Directive.