The Marine Environmental Unit at Marine Services, Orkney Islands Council, was set up in 1974, based on the Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed Oil Terminal planned for Flotta. Orkney Islands Council agreed that a monitoring programme should be established to assess the impact of the Terminal operations on the marine environment of Orkney, and to support the Harbours Department in its obligations to both the Port users and to the Orkney Islands Council as Port Authority and Local Authority.