About The Moray Firth Partnership

Our Mission
 “to promote the sustainable development and integrated management of the natural, economic, recreational and cultural resources of the Moray Firth area in order to retain and enhance a high quality of life for all its residents”

Our Values
In everything we do we work to be:
Inclusive
Transparent
Neutral and Apolitical
Strategic
Sustainable.....and to add value

Our Aims
In order to fulfil our mission the Partnership has 4 strategic aims:
to encourage and support long term sustainable management of the Moray Firth
to facilitate integration, synergy, consensus building and conflict resolution between stakeholders
to encourage and enable community participation in coastal and marine stewardship
to raise awareness and improve understanding of the Moray Firth

How and Why the MFP was set up
The Moray Firth has a wealth of cultural, economic and environmental resources. The Moray Firth Partnership (MFP) was established in 1996 as a forum to share information, plan and help to implement integrated ways of managing these valuable assets.

The MFP is a voluntary coalition of organisations and individuals, with over 600 members. We actively seek to work in partnership with our members and other stakeholders for the wider benefit of the Firth. We are not a lobby group, but retain neutral status, promoting agreement through dialogue and consensus.

The Business Plan 2010 - 2011 sets out the nature, direction and objectives of the organisation. The plan’s purpose is to deepen understanding and give clarity to stakeholders and potential funders and to underpin the planning and management activities of the Board, Strategy Group, Actions Groups and Staff.

2030 A Vision for the Moray Firth (103kb pdf)
This vision for the future of the Moray Firth in 2030 is offered by the Moray Firth Partnership to provide inspiration and direction. It focuses on the main, identifiable challenges and opportunities currently facing the Firth, and is open to amendment as circumstances and knowledge develop. The vision was developed by the Strategic Group of the MFP, comprising senior people from a broad range of sectors, as the basis for a forward work programme for the MFP and its many partners. The vision recognises the complexity of Firth and the importance of an integrated approach to planning for its sustainable development. The MFP invites the collaborative involvement of the communities, businesses and organisations, whose activities impact on the Firth, in helping to achieve this vision.

What we do and How we can help
The work of the Partnership can be spilt into 3 main areas:-

Core Services
The Partnership has a track record as an honest broker with conflict resolution and facilitation skills and a long established network and broad membership.  With its unique position over other providers, there are two sets of core services that we can deliver:

strategic analysis of Moray Firth management issues;
facilitation in support of area or sector based sustainable planning and management initiatives.  Read more....

Project Development and Management
This is an increasingly important activity, together with the building and managing of associated funding packages.  Partnership lead projects have been identified as an area of great success.  Read more....

Information and Resources
The partnership provides a variety of means by which to communicate it's message e.g. website, annual conference, a quarterly members update and on-line directory.  The website provides a gateway to a host of infomation resources on the Moray Firth and other integrated coastal management issues.  Read more....

Geographical area
Our area includes 800km of coastline from John O’Groats to Fraserburgh and the coastal waters out to the 12 mile limit, as well as river systems that feed into the Firth. This includes the Dornoch, Cromarty and Beauly Firths.  Read more....

Membership
Membership is free and open to anyone with an interest in the Firth. Members include local authorities and statutory agencies, fishing interests, port and harbour authorities, oil and other commercial interests, local community and recreation groups, heritage groups, schools and colleges and individuals who live, work and have an interest in the Firth. Read more....

Funding
Funding sources have included public, private, European Union, Charitable Trust and project sponsorship, as well as ‘in kind’ contributions such as providing office space. Read more....

MFP company set-up
The Moray Firth Partnership is a registered company, limited by guarantee (no. 196042) and a charity registered in Scotland (No SC 028964).

Our Board of Directors
The Board can have up to seven directors who manage the company affairs. All directors are voluntary and unpaid.  Read more....

The Partnerships Annual General meeting was held on Monday 2 November 2009 at the Beaufort Hotel in Inverness.  Prior to the formal business, members enjoyed two talks, by Tom Dawson of the SCAPE Trust (Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion) and by Jacquie Aitken, Archivist, Clyne Heritage Society.

Tom outlined SCAPE projects ongoing around Scotland and looked at the different options open to areas to save information and even sites from the sea.  Jacquie spoke about work on the Brora Saltpans Excavation and looked at links round the Moray Firth and across the North Sea that once made Brora the “industrial capital of Sutherland”. The talks and AGM were open to the general public.  Read more....

Action Groups
The ongoing work of the Partnership in "managing" the firth is carried out through a number of topic-based action groups. These include representatives from a wide range of stakeholder organisations, funders and interested individuals.  Action Groups past and present includes:-

Moray Firth Heritage Group    SAC Management Group    Strategic Group    Fisheries Action Group

Staff

Partnership Manager:-
Kathryn Logan Tel: 01463 725028
info@morayfirth-partnership.org

Partnership Administrator:-
Vanessa McLennan  Tel: 01463 725027
admin@morayfirth-partnership.org

The Moray Firth Partnership
Reg’d Office: Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, INVERNESS, IV3 8NW
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1463 725027    Fax: +44 (0) 1463 725067
E-mail: info@morayfirth-partnership.org
Website: www.morayfirth-partnership.org
Company Number: 196042 (limited by guarantee)

The Moray Firth Partnership is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC 028964