Marine Act

A big welcome for the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act!

A decade of campaigning by WWF has finally come to fruition with the introduction of the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act into the statute books on the 12th of November 2009. This is a landmark piece of legislation that could have important consequences for how our seas are managed and how marine wildlife is protected. The UK Act places a duty on Welsh Ministers, for the first time, to conserve and protect marine species and habitats and could make a real difference for the future of Welsh seas.

Wales’ coasts and seas are home to some of the most beautiful and biologically productive habitats in the world. Nationally important species and habitats can be found under the waves which have, until now, been left exposed to a multitude of pressures, including fishing, aggregate extraction, oil and gas exploitation, and emerging threats such as the impacts of climate change.

Time for action!

Although we are delighted that we now have a UK Marine Act, this is really just the first step in the process to achieve clean, healthy and biodiverse seas. The UK Act brings important new powers to Wales; but the Assembly Government must take steps to ensure the Act is delivered quickly and effectively in Wales, or our seas will continue to suffer.

A number of exciting changes could be made to protect our marine wildlife and habitats and manage activities:
• A new type of Marine Protected Area, including highly protected sites, to ensure the species and habitats that are important for Wales are properly protected.
• A new system of marine planning for our seas to ensure that there is a strategic and coordinated overview of the range of human activities that compete for space and resources.
• A streamlined licensing system that improves certainty for developers and limits environmental impacts.

WWF Cymru will be working with government, industry and other stakeholders to ensure the tools in the Marine Act are delivered effectively and decisively in Wales.