Marine and Coastal Access Act

24-May-2011

When the Marine and Coastal Access Act received Royal assent in November 2009 it was seen as “historic ground-breaking legislation fulfilling the Government’s commitment to introduce a new framework for managing the demands we put on our seas, improve marine conservation, and open up access for the public to the English coast. Broadly speaking the Act provides:

  • A new network of marine conservation zones (MCZ’s).
  • A new marine management organisation.
  • A new marine planning system to implement the Government's strategic objectives for the marine environment.
  • Simpler, more streamlined, marine licensing system for developers, aggregate dredgers and other users of the sea.
  • Better management structure for the fisheries industry.
  • A new right of access for people to walk round the English and Welsh coasts.

The UK has signed up to international agreements that aim to create an “ecologocaly coherent network of Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s)” by 2012 and MCZ’s will form part of those MPA’s. The intention is for the MCZ’s to protect (and achieve the long-term sustainability) of nationally important marine life, habitats, geology and geomorphology within inshore and offshore waters. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) www.jncc.gov.uk is the body responsible for advising and recommending the designation of the MCZ’s to the government under the 2009 Act. The MCZ Project will be administered through four Regional Projects covering south-west seas (Finding Sanctuary), the Irish Sea (Irish Sea Conservation Zones), the North Sea (Net Gain), and south-east seas (Balanced Seas). These bodies will work with conservation and other interested groups, the public and users of the seas in their regions to identify and provide recommendations for sites via the JNCC to the Government.

The aim is for a network of protected zones to be drawn up around the waters of England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2012. The waters around Lundy Island, which are home to grey seals, lobsters, pink sea fan corals and reefs and other habitats, was the first area to be designated as a MCZ in January last year. Under the 2009 Act it will be a criminal offence to break the rules established for each MCZ. Rules created for each zone may include absolute “no-take” fishing bans to protect wildlife, or which is perhaps more likely, seasonal and partial bans on certain types of fishing, special navigational routes, restrictions on recreational uses, commercial charters, ferries and water sports as well as moorings.

Readers may be aware of that local areas such as the salt marshes and mudflats of parts of the Solent, South Wight, LymeBay, Studland Bay and Portland already enjoy protection as Special Areas of Conservation. Under the 2009 Act the opportunity is there for these areas to be afforded greater protection, scrutiny and management and for the Trust and members to have a say and lobby through the regional bodies set up to assist the JNCC, about areas of the local marine environment they feel should be protected.