On 4 December 2008 the UK Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) introduced a Marine and Coastal Access Bill into Parliament. This followed consultation documents  in March 2006 and March 2007, and a draft Marine Bill in April 2008.

 

Different elements of the Bill, e.g., fisheries nature conservation and coastal access, apply to different part of the United Kingdom, i.e., England, Northern Ireland, Scotland. The marine planning provisions apply in differing degrees throughout UK waters but with comparable proposals towards a Scottish Bill for inshore waters around Scotland.

 

 

 

 

At a strategic level the UK recognized the potential benefit of marine spatial planning in addressing the need for a more coherent and integrated approach to the threats from ongoing and increasing use in its strategy "Safeguarding our Seas (pdf, 477 KB)" which set out a vision for "clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas".

 

This drew on another initiative 'Review of Marine Nature Conservation' which promoted the need for action at different governance levels and highlighted the potential importance of marine spatial planning as a tool to integrate economic, social and environmental objectives. Interest in marine spatial planning was partially derived from nature conservation and environmental concerns. Since late 1990, offshore wind farm as a new use triggered additional concern in the competition for marine space and associated impacts what further stimulated interest in marine spatial planning.

 

In this context, the Government’s 2005 election manifesto included the following commitment:

 

 

Informed by a pilot project in the Irish Sea to investigate the potential and challenges of marine spatial planning in UK waters, the UK Government came forward with proposals for legislation, e.g., a Marine Bill White Paper, A Sea Change, published on 15 March 2007. The White Paper included proposals for establishing:

 

 

The draft legislation published at the end of 2008 includes provisions for:

 

 

 

 

The new Marine Management Organization would be a center of marine expertise, provide a consistent and unified approach, deliver improved coordination of information and data, and reduce administrative burdens. The integration proposed would provide benefits from joined up delivery and economies of scale that could not be realized by placing those functions in separate organizations.

 

The Bill will also create a strategic marine planning system that will clarify the Government’s marine objectives and priorities for the future, and direct decision-makers and users toward more efficient, sustainable use, and protection of marine resources of the UK. The first stage of this marine planning system would be the creation of a UK-wide marine policy statement to create a more integrated approach to marine management and setting both short and longer-term objectives for sustainable use of the marine environment. A series of marine plans would then be created in a second stage, which would implement the policy statement in specific areas, using information about spatial uses and needs in those areas.

 

The UK Government and the Devolved Administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have agreed on a UK–wide approach to marine planning. As part of the agreement, more functions will be devolved to Scottish and Welsh ministers. Marine planning and Marine Conservation Zone powers will be devolved for the offshore area adjacent to Scotland. In addition, the Bill will provide for the creation of a Welsh zone for fisheries.

 

In a preparatory phase prior to introducing its Marine Bill, the UK government’s Department of Environment, Fisheries, and Rural Affairs (Defra) commissioned a Irish Sea Pilot Project to research options for developing, implementing, and managing marine spatial planning in all UK offshore waters. The study had two key objectives: (1) to obtain a better understanding and appreciation of available evidence and experiences to date in the field of marine spatial planning and its relevance and applicability to UK marine and coastal waters; and (2) to undertake a pilot project to determine the feasibility and practicality of developing and applying a marine spatial plan.

 

 

 

 

For additional information on the Marine and Coastal Access Bill go to the website of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

 

For additional information on the Irish Sea Pilot Project, go to the website of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

 

Additional reading is also available on the references page of this website.