The investigation found that monitoring of Scottish waters has declined since 2014, particularly in coastal and offshore areas. Marine minister Jim Fairlie (Image: Alan Peebles)ESS chief executive Mark Roberts said the assessment "must serve as a wake-up call for Scottish ministers". The assessment said the Scottish Government has been aware of the gaps but has not developed the extra monitoring required to fill them. And ESS says that also means ministers cannot establish whether measures designed to improve the condition of the seabed are actually working. It added: “There are weaknesses in governance arrangements, together with inconsistencies in how the Scottish ministers have implemented their duty to have regard to the marine strategy under Regulation 9.”