The UK Marine Act –
An integrated approach to
marine management.
Dr Darius Campbell
Head of Marine Environment,
Strategy and Evidence, Defra
The Vision
Clean, Healthy, Safe, Productive and
Biologically Diverse Oceans and Seas.
The Importance of the Sea
• Resources
• Climate change
A variety of habitats
Sandbanks
Rocky Reefs
Seagrass Beds
The Importance of the Sea
• Transport
• Heritage
• Recreation
44,000 different kinds of plants and animals
recorded in UK waters – half UK’s Biodiversity.
Human Activities
Land use
Tourism
Oil &Gas
How do we balance the needs of the environment
Coastal Defence
with our own social and economic needs?
Mariculture
Ports & Navigation
Military Activities
Culture
Conservation
Dredging & Disposal
Submarine Cables
Fishing
Renewable Energy
Marine Recreation
Mineral Extraction
The UK Marine Act
• Comprehensive marine planning
• Efficient licensing of activities
• A Marine Management Organisation
• New nature conservation powers
• Better local fisheries and environmental
management
• Better protection for freshwater fish
• Exclusive Economic Zone
• Coastal Access
Marine Management Organisation
Marine plans
The
MMO’s
main
functions
Fisheries
management
Marine nature
conservation
Marine
Licensing
Emergencies
Where?
Marine Scotland
Northern Ireland
delivery
mechanism
(under
development)
Welsh Assembly Government for
new fisheries zone and under
executive devolution of planning in
offshore area adjacent to Wales
Welsh Assembly
Government and
MMO for certain
functions
Marine Scotland
for devolved matters and
executive devolution of
new functions under
the Bill (planning and nature
conservation)
MMO for
non-devolved matters
Marine Management
Organisation
(MMO):
Delivering planning,
licensing, fisheries
management and
enforcement
functions
Maps not to scale
Note: Northern Ireland and Welsh
Assembly Government can ask MMO
to undertake functions on their behalf
Planning – how does it work
High level objectives
Live within
environmental
limits
Achieving a
sustainable marine
economy
Promote good
governance
Use sound science
Marine Policy Statement (MPS)
Marine Plans
Licensing
Ensure a strong,
healthy and just
society
Stage 1 - UK Marine Policy Statement (MPS)
• Shared statement of UK marine policy
• Jointly agreed and adopted by all UK administrations
• UK objectives and priorities for sustainable development of
the seas
• Brings together all UK policies with impacts on marine
environment.
Stage 2 - Series of marine plans
•Prepared by the new MMO, (or other planning authority)
•Looks at all activities, resources and needs of an area
•Sets out in the Marine Policy Statement should be
applied.
•Guides decisions on licence applications, other public
bodies, and to inform stakeholders
Proposed Marine Plan Areas
North East Offshore
North East Inshore
North West
East Offshore
East Inshore
West Inshore
South East Inshore
South West Inshore
South Offshore
South Inshore
South Inshore Central
Stage 3 Marine licensing
• Clearer, simpler, streamlined core marine licensing
• Support for marine planning and holistic decision-making
• Minimise regulation consistent with our policy objectives
• Savings
• The MMO for most
marine activities, except
larger ports and offshore wind
farms
What’s new for marine licensing?
•
Marine licences will cover the
entire life of the development
•
Transparent appeal
mechanism
•
Proportionate enforcement tools
Conserving Biodiversity
Marine Protected Areas
Special Areas
of Conservation
(Habitats
Directive)
Special
Protection Areas
(Birds Directive)
Marine
Conservation
Zones (Marine
Act)
Part 5 – Marine Conservation Zones
• To conserve flora, fauna and habitats:
rare, threatened or representative
• Secretary of State must designate a
network of MPAs
• The network will be ecologically
coherent and
established by 2012
• Sound science – socio-economic
consequences can be considered
• Restrictions in MCZs dependant on
objectives
Selection of Marine Conservation Zones
• Regional projects to recommend sites
• Stakeholders involved early
• Ministers attach great weight to recommendations
• Too early to predict extent of Zones
• Consultation required
Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities
• Management of sea
fisheries
resources
• Ensure conservation
objectives of any Marine
Conservation Zones
• Collect statistics
Source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/images/
2006/10/17/turner_trawler_race2_465x349.jpg
Darius Campbell.
Darius Campbell@defra.gsi.gov.uk