It is a natural resource, enjoyed by many and subject to a wide range of competing demands. Lochs, rivers and coastal waters are all part of Scotland's natural heritage for which data have been collected over lengthy periods to produce a historical picture of this important resource. Rivers define key aspects of Scotland's identity, being the domain of the salmon and the source of whisky, 'the water of life'. In this century, other uses have come into prominence with the development of hydro-electric power and the exploitation of upland rivers as a source of high quality drinking water for urban centres. Above all, the image of Scotland's rivers is one of a fast flowing, clean, valuable natural resource, increasingly utilised for recreation and tourism.
Scottish lochs are valuable both in water resource and conservation terms.
As such they have an important role to play in the economic activity of the country. Scotland has a coastline which is unusually long in proportion to its land area. It is also highly varied and frequently spectacularly scenic. The coastline provides a major environmental resource for those who enjoy natural surroundings, and its biological ecosystems are a vital part of Scotland's natural heritage. Estuarine, or tidal waters are also important to Scotland's economy, supporting as they do a variety of industries, including fisheries, fish farming, recreation and tourism as well as being the preferred location for major industrial developments like power generation and petrochemicals.