The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
welcomes the passing of the Marine and Coastal Access
Act.
Marcus Yeo, Managing Director of JNCC said
“The Marine and Coastal Access Act is a big step forwards in the
sustainable use of our seas. For JNCC, it is particularly important
that the Act applies to the whole of the UK’s offshore waters,
including areas of continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from
the coast.”
The Act paves the way for an effective marine
spatial planning system to allow the sustainable development of our
marine resources whilst also increasing the protection afforded to
marine species and habitats of national importance through
protected areas. Marcus continued “The wide range of wildlife in
the UK’s seas is a very significant part of Europe’s marine life
and therefore the UK has an important responsibility to protect its
seas for future generations. The new system of marine protection
outlined in the Act complements JNCC’s ongoing work to identify
European sites in offshore waters, to fulfil the Government’s aim
for a network of Marine Protected Areas in the UK by
2012”.
JNCC has been actively involved in the
development of the Marine and Coastal Access Act, its progression
through Parliament and its associated implementing guidance. JNCC
is working closely with the UK Government and the devolved
administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to ensure
these exciting and far-reaching proposals are delivered effectively
and efficiently in the coming years.
- ENDS
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Notes to Editors
1. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee
(JNCC) is the statutory adviser to Government on UK and
international nature conservation, on behalf of the Council for
Nature Conservation and the Countryside, the Countryside Council
for Wales, Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage. Its work
contributes to maintaining and enriching biological diversity,
conserving geological features and sustaining natural systems. For
more information please contact the
, +44 (0)1733
866839.
2. JNCC is the statutory conservation adviser
to Government for UK offshore waters (beyond 12 nautical
miles).
3. Marine Conservation Zones are the new
Marine Protected Area as defined by the Marine and Coastal Access
Act. The Marine Conservation Zone Project has been established by
Defra, Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee
to identify and recommend Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) to
Government in English territorial waters and English, Welsh and
Northern Irish offshore waters. The Marine Conservation Zone
Project will be delivered through four regional MCZ projects
-covering the south-west (Finding Sanctuary), Irish Sea (Irish Sea
Conservation Zones), North Sea (Net Gain) and south-east (Balanced
Seas). These regional MCZ projects will work with sea users and
interest groups to identify MCZs and provide recommendations for
sites within their regions to Government.
4. For more details about the four regional
Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) projects, please contact:
a) Balanced Seas – south east regional MCZ
project
, Communications
Coordinator, Balanced Seas, Durrell Institute for Conservation and
Ecology (DICE), Room Marlowe 65A Marlowe Building, University of
Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NR
Tel: 01227 827 839
b) Finding Sanctuary – south west regional MCZ
project
, Communications
Coordinator, Finding Sanctuary, Darts Farm, Topsham, Exeter EX3
OQH
Tel: 01392 878 328
c) Irish Seas Conservation Zones - north
west regional MCZ project
, Communications
Coordinator, Irish Seas Conservation Zones, c/o Envirolink
Northwest, Spencer House, 91 Dewhurst Road, Birchwood, Warrington,
WA3 7PG
Tel: 01925 8130 200
d) Net Gain – north east regional MCZ
project
, PR and
Communications Manager, Net Gain, The Deep Business Centre,
Hull HU1 4BG
Tel: 01482 216 222
5. Under the UK Marine Act the Scottish
Government has executive devolution of marine nature conservation
and marine planning functions in offshore waters adjacent to
Scotland. The identification, selection and designation of Marine
Protected Areas (MPAs) in offshore waters adjacent to Scotland
will be led by Marine Scotland in partnership with JNCC. This
Scottish MPA project will facilitate a science based process with
integral stakeholder engagement to develop recommendations on the
MPAs required to complete the MPA network in offshore waters
adjacent to Scotland.
6. Further information on new MPAs, Natura
2000 sites including Special Areas of Conservation and Special
Protection Areas and JNCC’s role in their establishment can be
found on JNCC’s website.
7. International commitments for a network of
MPAs were agreed upon through ratification of the Convention on
Biological Diversity, the OSPAR convention and at the World Summit
on Sustainable Development. European commitments for the
establishment of a network of MPAs were confirmed by legalisation
of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which aims to ensure
good environment status across all European seas by 2020.
8. Under the Marine and Coastal Access Act a
new Marine Management Organisation (MMO) will be created, providing
a consistent approach to delivering improved data, providing
advice, and licensing marine developments. The MMO will operate
from a network of coastal offices and will deliver a modernised
streamlined licensing system. It is hoped that the clearer
direction given by planning and the changes to make licensing more
efficient to benefit many stakeholders, including ports and
harbours, fishermen, aggregate dredgers and renewable energy
developers. Effective enforcement is essential to ensure that
regulations and rules are implemented fairly. The Act creates a set
of common enforcement powers for enforcing marine licensing,
fisheries and nature conservation. It also introduces
administrative penalties which will enable regulators to tackle
offences in a more proportionate way and level the playing field
for people and businesses operating within the law.