How did we get here?
The findings of a series of reviews and reports dating from the Marine Stewardship report in 2002 and the "Seas of Change" Government response in 2003 suggested that a new approach to managing all marine activities is needed and legislation required to implement it.
On 8 December 2004, Tony Blair and Margaret Beckett launched Defra's Five Year Strategy, which included plans for a new Marine Bill to ensure greater protection of marine resources and simplify regulation so that all uses of the sea can develop in a sustainable and harmonious way.
More recently, in January 2005, Elliot Morley delivered a keynote speech at the Coastal Futures conference outlining the possible scope and potential benefits of this new marine legislation.
There have been a number of commitments made about the Marine Bill. The Government's 2005 manifesto commitment was:
"Through a Marine Act, we will introduce a new framework for the seas, based on marine spatial planning, that balances conservation, energy and resource needs. To obtain best value from different uses of our valuable marine resources, we must maintain and protect the ecosystems on which they depend".
“A Sea Change” – A Marine Bill White Paper Consultation – March to June 2007
The Marine Bill White Paper, A Sea Change, published on 15 March 2007, set out proposals for:
- a new UK-wide system of marine planning, to enable more strategic management of our seas;
- a streamlined, transparent and consistent system for licensing marine developments;
- a flexible mechanism to protect natural resources, including marine conservation zones with clear objectives;
- improvements to the management of marine fisheries in relation to England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the ability to share the costs of management with commercial and recreational sectors; and
- a new body to deliver most of the above (a Marine Management Organisation) for UK (non-devolved) and England functions.
Around 300 individual responses from a wide range of organisations, professionals and the general public and over 8,000 postcards and letters in support of a number of environmental organisation campaigns for a Marine Bill. In addition to the campaign responses 82% of non-campaign responses stated their support for the Bill.
A Summary of Responses was published on 17 October 2007.
Environmental Audit Committee Report: "Proposals for a draft Marine Bill"
Following the publication of the Marine Bill consultation in 2006, the Environmental Audit Committee launched a brief inquiry to look at what should be included in a new Marine Bill. Organisations and members of the public were invited to submit memoranda setting out their views on the inquiry. The Committee also took evidence during the course of its inquiry from Ben Bradshaw MP (Minister for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare), Wildlife and Countryside Link, the Sea User Developer Group, the British Marine Federation, Scottish Renewables, and the British Wind Energy Association.
On the 25th July 2006, the Committee published its report on proposals for a draft Marine Bill (its eighth report of session 2005-06). The report contained sixteen conclusions and recommendations.
Copies of the report can be obtained from The Stationery Office (TSO) outlets and from the Parliamentary Bookshop, 12 Bridge Street, Parliament Square, London SW1A 2JX (020 7219 3890) by quoting House of Commons No 740. The text of the Report is also available through the Committee's internet homepage: http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/environmental_audit_committee.cfm
Marine Bill Consultation – March to June 2006
The Marine Bill consultation document published in 29 March 2006 explained the areas we were considering for a Marine Bill, but also asked for views on the strategic direction that we should take. The consultation asked specific questions in the following areas:
- How to take forward Marine Nature Conservation proposals
- Possible reform of Marine Licensing regimes
- What shape Marine Planning could take
- Whether there is a case for a new Marine Management Organisation and if so, what functions it could undertake.
The summary of responses to the consultation was published on 18 October 2006.
Marine Bill Forums – September 2005 and May 2006
Marine Bill Forums took place on 26 September 2005 in London and on the 4, 10 and 18 May 2006 in Cardiff, Liverpool and London. These events were designed to promote an exchange of views between a diverse group of stakeholders. Over 200 stakeholders took part in discussion activities that were the vehicle for the exchange of opinions on the proposals set out in the consultation. These opinions were collected by Defra purely to inform interested parties about the range of stakeholder views expressed and to foster a positive exchange of ideas during the consultation process. This information will not be analysed and will not form part of the written consultation responses.
Programmes, transcripts, table notes and the presentation slides used are available, on request, from the Marine Bill Team.
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Page last modified: 3 April 2008