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UK Government's Marine Bill
Northern Ireland is committed to bringing forward a marine programme in order to deliver the UK’s vision of ‘clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas’. The marine programme comprises the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (the UK Act),UK-wide regulations to transpose the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the proposed Northern Ireland Marine Bill.
UK Government’s Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009
The UK Government’s Marine and Coastal Access Act gained Royal Assent on 12 November 2009.
The aim of the UK Act is to provide a framework to regulate marine activities to ensure sustainable use and protection of marine resources and to safeguard clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas. The UK Act sets out in legislation the proposals which were widely supported in A Sea Change, the UK Government’s White Paper published in March 2007.
Full details of the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 can be found here www.defra.gov.uk/environment/marine/legislation/index.htm  .
Not all the proposals in the UK Act will apply to the whole of the UK. However, the UK Government and devolved Administrations are working together to manage the marine environment in a joined-up way and each administration will decide on the most appropriate way to implement change within its area and remit.
Northern Ireland is included in the UK Act for the provisions relating to the Marine Policy Statement, marine planning in Northern Ireland's offshore area (from the 12 nautical mile limit to the boundary of the Northern Ireland zone) and the reform of marine licensing insofar as it relates to the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 and marine aggregates extraction.
The Marine Policy Statement will be prepared by all the UK Administrations and is intended to apply to all UK waters. It will set out the key strategic priorities for the UK's waters and will be a tangible product against which sustainable licensing decisions will be made until such times as marine plans are in place. It is anticipated that the Marine Policy Statement will be in place by 2011. It is also expected that the new marine licensing regime will be in place during 2011.
Northern Ireland Marine Bill
The Environment Minister intends to take forward similar proposals in Northern Ireland using a combination of the UK Act and a Northern Ireland Assembly Bill. The Northern Ireland Marine Bill will contain provisions for marine planning and marine nature conservation within Northern Ireland's territorial waters (within the 12 nautical mile limit) and subject to discussions with the other Government Departments may contain provisions for further streamlining of licensing for devolved functions.
A consultation document A Northern Ireland Marine Bill Policy Proposals – Consultation Document proposes a framework for Northern Ireland’s seas based on; a new system of marine planning that will balance conservation, energy and other resource needs; a further streamlining of marine licensing above that already provided for in the UK Act and improved processes for marine nature conservation.
The full consultation paper can be found here:
consultation_northern_ireland_marine_bill_-_policy_proposals (440 KB)  
The Department would welcome your comments on this consultation paper. Details of how to respond are provided in the consultation document. Or can be sent to this address: marineteam@doeni.gov.uk
The consultation period closes on 9 July 2010.
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Northern Ireland is committed to bringing forward a marine programme in order to deliver the UK’s vision of ‘clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas’. The marine programme comprises the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (the UK Act),UK-wide regulations to transpose the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the proposed Northern Ireland Marine Bill.
UK Government’s Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009
The UK Government’s Marine and Coastal Access Act gained Royal Assent on 12 November 2009.
The aim of the UK Act is to provide a framework to regulate marine activities to ensure sustainable use and protection of marine resources and to safeguard clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas. The UK Act sets out in legislation the proposals which were widely supported in A Sea Change, the UK Government’s White Paper published in March 2007.
Full details of the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 can be found here www.defra.gov.uk/environment/marine/legislation/index.htm .
Not all the proposals in the UK Act will apply to the whole of the UK. However, the UK Government and devolved Administrations are working together to manage the marine environment in a joined-up way and each administration will decide on the most appropriate way to implement change within its area and remit.
Northern Ireland is included in the UK Act for the provisions relating to the Marine Policy Statement, marine planning in Northern Ireland's offshore area (from the 12 nautical mile limit to the boundary of the Northern Ireland zone) and the reform of marine licensing insofar as it relates to the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 and marine aggregates extraction.
The Marine Policy Statement will be prepared by all the UK Administrations and is intended to apply to all UK waters. It will set out the key strategic priorities for the UK's waters and will be a tangible product against which sustainable licensing decisions will be made until such times as marine plans are in place. It is anticipated that the Marine Policy Statement will be in place by 2011. It is also expected that the new marine licensing regime will be in place during 2011.
Northern Ireland Marine Bill
The Environment Minister intends to take forward similar proposals in Northern Ireland using a combination of the UK Act and a Northern Ireland Assembly Bill. The Northern Ireland Marine Bill will contain provisions for marine planning and marine nature conservation within Northern Ireland's territorial waters (within the 12 nautical mile limit) and subject to discussions with the other Government Departments may contain provisions for further streamlining of licensing for devolved functions.
A consultation document A Northern Ireland Marine Bill Policy Proposals – Consultation Document proposes a framework for Northern Ireland’s seas based on; a new system of marine planning that will balance conservation, energy and other resource needs; a further streamlining of marine licensing above that already provided for in the UK Act and improved processes for marine nature conservation.
The full consultation paper can be found here:
consultation_northern_ireland_marine_bill_-_policy_proposals (440 KB)
The Department would welcome your comments on this consultation paper. Details of how to respond are provided in the consultation document. Or can be sent to this address: marineteam@doeni.gov.uk
The consultation period closes on 9 July 2010.
