Issues And Interests Of 16 Coastal Organisations In Marine Bill - Testing The Water, Coastnet - The Edge Spring 2006

Testing the water The reach of the forthcoming Marine Bill will be long and wide affecting the interests of many. CoastNET decided to conduct its own straw poll asking 16 organisations representing a diverse section of marine and coastal interests what they consider to be the most pressing issues the Marine Bill must tackle. What is the most pressing issue the Marine Bill must tackle and why? British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA), trade association for the

British Marine Federation (BMF), trade

marine aggregate industry.

Simplifying the marine consents regime is a key opportunity presented by the Marine Bill. For too long, the consents process in the coastal zone has been bureaucratic, involving many players, resulting in duplication, frustration and significant costs, with limited benefit to the environment.

Ask most development interests what they really want and the chances are the answer will be greater certainty of the environment in which they operate – not only the planning and regulatory environment, but also the natural. For the Marine Bill to deliver greater certainty there must be a commitment to improve our understanding of the broad scale environment – something that will require significant investment over time to resolve. Mark Russell, Director, Marine Aggregates

association for the UK marine leisure industry

BMF's vision for the Marine Bill is one that safeguards both marine resources and livelihoods by embracing sustainable development, delivering a transparent and consistent approach in all its decision making. Sally Banham, Assistant Director

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North West Coastal Forum, The Bill is a once-in-a-generation chance to deliver better protection for marine wildlife. It offers a critical opportunity to develop a network of Highly Protected Marine Reserves and, through development of an effective framework for the integrated assessment, consenting and control of maritime activity and off-shore development, could enable delivery of truly sustainable management of the marine environment. Caroline Salthouse, Regional Coastal Project Officer and North West Coastal Forum Secretariat

English Heritage, protects and promotes England's historic environment

Marine Spatial Planning is our main issue. The draft bill must set out what planning at sea will include and how it will be delivered qualifying the responsibilities between authorities. We provide independent advice to Government and we require a Bill that helps to protect in-situ maritime archaeological material because this is the best way to ensure its long term future. Dr Chris Pater, Marine Planner, Maritime Archaeology Team

Environment Agency, leading public body for protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is the top priority. It's what we need to make sure that human activities don't conflict, and that they fit in with the needs of the marine environment. MSP will need a statutory base and should apply to all users and regulators, directly linking the management of land and sea. Jim Andrews, Marine Policy Manager

Thames Estuary Partnership, provides a neutral forum for local authorities, national agencies, industry, voluntary bodies and local communities to work together for the good of the Thames Estuary The Thames Estuary Partnership considers the lack of sustainable spatial planning within the marine environment as a key concern. For too long coastal activities have operated in conflict with little communication or without adopting a strategic approach. The challenge is therefore getting all stakeholders including fishermen, developers, aggregates extraction, port operators, recreational users to operate together in a more co-ordinated and sustainable manner. Jill Goddard, Executive Director

The National Trust, NGO working to preserve and protect the coastline, countryside and buildings of England, Wales and Northern Ireland The National Trust thinks that there is a pressing case for the development of a marine spatial planning system to help halt the decline in marine biodiversity. On land the planning system helps to shape society's thinking about land use and development. No such system exists below the low water mark, yet there is a real need to plan ahead and there are often conflicts of interest or competition for resources and space – fisheries and aquaculture, recreation, shipping, off-shore oil, gas and renewables, and aggregate extraction. All these could have a significant further impact on marine wildlife, archaeology and the coastal landscape. Rob Jarman, Head of environmental practices and sustainability

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National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisation, representative

British Wind Energy Association, trade and

body for fishermen in England and Wales

professional body for the UK wind and marine renewables industries.

From the fishing industry perspective, the Marine Bill would offer an opportunity to tackle chaotic and unco-ordinated seabed developments. A UK framework, that would ensure consent decisions are founded on robust, representative fisheries and environmental data and would prevent the siting of wind farms or aggregate dredging on prime fishing grounds, is essential.

The Marine Bill is a unique opportunity to more effectively and efficiently manage economic and environmental interests in the marine environment. The offshore renewable energy industry would like this legislation to lead to a more streamlined consenting procedure that works in the framework of a detailed and accurate planning system. This would mean that developers have access to data and awareness of potential conflicts when first considering sites. This should mean more certainty and a reduction in regulation. Importantly, this would also allow the marine environment to undergo a sustainable development approach that would mean that developers and conservationists are able to work closer together to solve problems.

Doug Beveridge

Michael Hay, Marine Renewables Development Manager

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British Ports Association, organisation representing UK ports

The Marine Bill represents an opportunity. The current system of coastal management and coastal consents is complex and confusing. We believe that there is a lack of understanding of coastal dynamics and processes. If Marine Spatial Planning can be deployed constructively to defuse potential conflict, and if better regulation can be delivered by new Maritime Management Organisation, then we support the Bill. Thinking needs to be adventurous. David Whitehead, Director

United Kingdon Hydrographic Office, a government Trading Fund and part of the Ministry of Defence providing navigational products and services to the Royal Navy and the merchant marine in compliance with Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) Regulations The most pressing issue from the UKHO’s perspective is the need for a common and consistent legislative framework within which policy and planning decisions can be made. Whilst accepting there will be differences with existing planning regulations on land, it needs to be as seamless as possible. This requires a base reference geospatial map which is interoperable across the littoral zone and into the terrestrial environment. This will support the definitive referencing of maritime conservation areas, planned marine national parks and habitat mapping, as well as underpinning a streamlined consents regime for the UK Continental Shelf.

Scottish Coastal Forum, established by Government to encourage debate on coastal issues at national level and provide advice.

Surfers against Sewage, NGO campaigning for clean, safe recreational waters

Current fragmented legislation is woefully inadequate at recognising the needs of modern recreational water users such as surfers, sailors and divers. To prevent important recreational areas from environmental degradation and to aid in water quality improvement, they need to be recognised within a formal spatial planning process. Without this, only traditional 'bathing' waters will have any degree of recognition and only for a few summer months. Andrew Knights, Campaign Researcher

English Nature, Government agency championing the conservation of wildlife and geology throughout England.

The most pressing issue for the Marine Bill is a legal basis for spatial management to help secure the structure, function and processes of marine ecosystems and ensure a sustained but improved flow of benefits for human use and appreciation. Critical elements are spatial planning, a national protected area network, and areas of higher protection for recovery to benchmark sustainability and rebuild resilience in the face of climate change. Dr Mark Duffy, Maritime Manager

The Scottish Coastal Forum's members represent many key marine and coastal stakeholders and have many different views on a variety of issues related to marine and coastal management. The most pressing issue being raised by deliberations on the UK Marine Bill is the way in which devolved and reserved matters are managed. Marine processes do not adhere to artificial boundaries imposed by humans for socio-economic or political purposes, but in order to manage human impacts on the environment it is often necessary to delineate responsibilities by drawing boundaries. The UK Marine Bill should therefore recognise the ability of the devolved administrations to govern national interests while retaining a broader integrated approach, both within the UK and across Europe, that is so vital to management of our coasts and seas. Stephen Midgley, Project Officer

United Kingdom Offshore Operations Association (UKOOA), the representative organisation for the oil and gas companies licensed by the UK government to explore for and produce hydrocarbons offshore around the British Isles

The Marine Bill must acknowledge the importance of the offshore oil and gas industry to the British economy and the benefits it brings through investment, jobs, tax revenues and secure primary energy supplies. It should recognise that the industry's activities are not incompatible with high standards of environmental management and should reflect the emphasis the offshore oil and gas sector already places on the protection of the marine environment.

Wildlife and Countryside Link, bringing together environmental voluntary organisations in the UK united by their common interest in the conservation and enjoyment of the natural and historic environment.

Link believes that the Marine Bill offers a critical opportunity to provide for the designation of a representative network of Nationally Important Marine Sites (NIMS), which must include a suite of Highly Protected Marine Reserves (HPMRs). The Bill is a once-in-ageneration chance to deliver better protection for marine wildlife. If it does not do this it will have failed.

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