These Regulations make further provision in relation to shellfish water protected areas within the Scotland River Basin District for purposes of section 5A of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003, which provides for the designation of any area of coastal water or transitional water as a shellfish water protected area where this is considered necessary or desirable for the protection or development of significant shellfish production. The Regulations aim a supporting shellfish life and growth and contributing to the high quality of shellfish products suitable for human consumption. Section 9 of the Act requires the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to set environmental objectives for each shellfish water protected area, and to prepare a programme of measures to be applied to achieve those environmental objectives. These Regulations make further provision in relation to, in particular, the setting of those environmental objectives and the programme of measures to be applied, together with further provision as regards monitoring requirements and the associated river basin management plan.