“My Government will bring forward measures to protect the environment for future generations. A Bill will be introduced to manage marine resources and to create a new right of public access to the coastline.”
The Bill will deliver modern, streamlined regulation; provide better protection for marine life; introduce planning of the seas and integrate it with the management of coasts and estuaries; and improve coastal access to the public.
These are groundbreaking proposals - no other country has attempted such a complex, strategic approach to marine environment.
By 2012, the Government wants to see a new extended network of Marine Conservation Zones to safeguard rare and threatened habitats and species. Stakeholders including the Devolved Administrations will be fully involved and consulted in establishing and managing the network.
The Purpose of the Bill:
· The Bill will set up the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to be the UK’s centre of marine expertise and strategic body for marine conservation and marine-related policy.
· The Bill will give people the right to walk right around the English coast for the first time.
· Wales will make their own arrangements. Provisions do not extend to Scotland or Northern Ireland.
The main benefits of the Bill would be:
· Introduce a marine planning system to cover all issues that may impact marine resources, from decisions regarding the construction of a small jetty to a major wind farm.
· Introduce a streamlined, transparent and consistent marine licensing system – making it faster, cheaper and simpler to license marine developments.
· Introduce powers for the sustainable and more efficient management of migratory and freshwater fisheries.
· Encourage the commercial and recreational stakeholders to take more responsibility for the management of marine fisheries.
Additional background information:
· The MMO will oversee the development of the UK’s marine area through a marine planning system.
· The MMO applies to the inshore waters around England and also UK offshore waters for non-devolved and reserved matters.
· The Bill originated from a commitment in the Government’s 2005 manifesto to introduce a framework for the seas. In September 2007, Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn announced at the Labour Party Conference that the Government intended to legislate so that the public will have the right to walk around the English coast for the first time.
Related documents:
· Taking the Marine Bill Forward: the Government Response to pre-legislative Scrutiny - published September 2008. (TSO website, opens in new browser window)
· Draft Marine Bill - published April 2008 (PDF, Treasury website, opens in new browser window)
· Coastal Access Paper - published 2008 (PDF, Defra website, opens in new browser window)
· A Sea Change, Marine Bill White Paper – published March 2007 (PDF, Defra website, opens in new browser window)
· A Sea Change, Marine Bill Consultation: Summary of Responses - published October 2007 (PDF, Defra website, opens in new browser window)
· Marine Bill consultation – published 2006 (PDF, Defra website, opens in new browser window)
· Marine Bill Consultation: Summary of Responses – published 2006 (PDF, Defra website, opens in new browser window)
· Consultation on Proposals to Improve Access to the English Coast – published in June 2007 (Defra website, opens in new browser window)
· Charting Progress: An Integrated Assessment of the State of UK Seas Report – published 2005 (Defra website, opens in new browser window)
· Turning the tide – Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, published 2004 (Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution website, opens in new browser window)
· Safeguarding the Seas: Marine Stewardship Report – published in 2002 (Defra website, opens in new browser window)
Relevant legislation:
· Countryside and Rights Of Way Act 2000
· Local Government (Wales) Act 1994
· Sea Fisheries (Wildlife Conservation) Act 1992
· Environmental Protection Act 1990
· Territorial Sea Act 1987
· Local Government Act 1985
· Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
· Fishery Limits Act 1976
· Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967
· Sea Fisheries Regulation Act 1966
Devolution:
The proposals in the Marine Bill are based upon the existing devolution settlement. There will be some extensions to executive functions of the Devolved Administrations to aid consistency of approach across UK waters covered by the Bill.
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