Regulatory responsibility within the marine environment usually falls to the relevant government department, as directed to have authority by the appropriate Act of Tynwald. This results in a sectoral approach to regulation for individual activities such as shipping, fisheries, nature conservation and recreation.

 

As a result of the departmental approach to regulation, the individual aims and objectives of each department can result in complex administration. Within the Isle of Man's marine environment, this difficulty has been addressed by the development of a Territorial Seas Committee, a cross-governmental organisation made up of a board with representatives from a number of government departments with responsibility for consideration of marine activities such as offshore renewable development, offshore mineral extraction and dredging operations. However, within the coastal zone, where boundaries between marine and terrestrial regulation can be unclear, this may not be fully addressed.