The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) anticipates that the UK Marine Bill will be included in the Queen's Speech on Wednesday the 3rd December, with the Bill being introduced into Parliament later this week. This is a long awaited and much needed step forward, enabling the UK to comprehensively plan, manage and protect its seas as never before.

The Bill, now called the Marine & Coastal Access Bill, proposes an ambitious new approach to managing the marine environment which will include establishing Marine Conservation Zones, a Marine Planning system, inshore fisheries reform, streamlining of licensing, establishment of a Marine Management Organisation (for England and UK matters) and coastal access provisions.

Melissa Moore, Senior Policy Officer, Marine Conservation Society said "We strongly welcome the Government's continuing commitment to a Marine Bill, and the wide-ranging scope of the Bill. However, it needs further toughening up if it is to leave a lasting legacy for nature conservation. It is now in the hands of MPs and Lords who need to further strengthen the bill if it is to achieve its goals for healthy ecosystems. Any weakening would be disastrous for our seas."

Gill Bell, MCS Welsh Officer, said "We are pleased that Wales has signed up to the UK Marine Bill. However, we now call on Welsh MPs and Lords to ensure that establishment of Highly Protected Marine Reserves is a clear objective in the nature conservation provisions - something that both Welsh NGOs and Welsh government are calling for. MCS also call on WAG to work with UK and other governments to plan and manage our seas according to ecological, rather than political boundaries."

So what's the bill all about? MCS provides a summary of its contents and the improvements that need to be made to the bill if it is to truly deliver for conservation.

• Marine Conservation Zones can be established that will protect nationally important habitats and species such as eelgrass beds, seahorses and sea fans. At present there are over 6,000 Sites of Scientific Interest on land, but only 3 sites protecting habitats of national importance at sea. We hence strongly welcome the proposals but believe that the bill needs a clear deadline of 2012 to establish a network of MCZs or they may never achieve it. We also think the location of MCZs and their conservation objectives should be selected by governments conservation organisations not by stakeholders such as fishermen and industry as proposed. Finally we believe Government needs to set a policy target for the % of sea they want protected.
  
  
• A Marine Planning system will be established under the bill. MCS welcomes this, but believes improvements must still be made. At present it is not clear how many plans will be produced for what areas or whether the objective is development or ecosystem recovery. We believe the Marine Bill needs to include a duty to produce plans for each regional sea throughout UK waters, with all UK administrations working together to achieve this and ecosystem recovery. Without these commitments the bill may result in plans only being produced for busy estuaries such as the Solent and for these being little more than development plans.
  
• Inshore Fisheries reform has long been needed as much of the existing legislation harks back to the 1960s and some the late1900s. We recommend that the new authorities be given an additional duty to further conservation of coastal and marine fauna and flora and that the number of marine environmental experts that sit on their committee is made clear on the face of the bill
  
  
• Management Organisation: we welcome the proposals for a management organisation that will undertake Marine Planning and licensing but are very disappointed that many of its powers have now been placed with the Infrastructure Planning Commission. We believe the new organisation should have responsibility for all reserved marine licensing functions as they will have the necessary marine expertise.
  
• Coastal Access: as an island we hope that improved coastal access will further strengthen the strong bond between the nation and our seas. However, in doing so we must take care not to degrade the very coast we cherish. We therefore recommend that fragile coastal habitats such as estuaries, saltmarsh and bird sanctuaries are excluded from the route.
  

Scotland and Northern Ireland will be producing their own marine legislation.

Calum Duncan, Scottish Conservation Manager, MCS, said "If we are ensure a sustainable future for coastal communities, the UK and Scottish Marine Bills, and forthcoming legislation for Northern Ireland, must fit neatly together and have the environment at heart. It is imperative that all UK administrations agree to a high level marine policy statement that commits them to delivering marine ecosystem protection and recovery through joint Marine Planning at a regional sea scale."

ENDS

Media Contacts:

Policy: Melissa Moore, Senior Policy Officer, 01989 566017, mobile 07793 118386

Biodiversity: Dr Jean-Luc Solandt, MCS Biodiversity Policy Officer, 01989 566017

Wales: Gill Bell, MCS Welsh Officer, 01989 566017, mobile 07998251437

Scotland: Calum Duncan, MCS Scottish Conservation Manager, 0131 226 6360, mobile 07841 985595

MCS UK Switchboard - 01989 566 017

Editors Notes:

1. The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is celebrating 25 years of protecting our precious seas, shores and wildlife this year. MCS campaigns for clean seas and beaches, sustainable fisheries, protection of marine life and their habitats, and the sensitive use of our marine resources for future generations. Through campaigns, community involvement and collaboration, MCS raises awareness of the many threats that face our seas and promotes individual, industry and government action to protect the marine environment. MCS campaigns for sustainable consumption of seafood and produces www.fishonline.org, the annual Good Beach Guide www.goodbeachguide.co.uk, as well as promoting public participation in volunteer projects and surveys such as Beachwatch, Adopt-a-Beach and Basking Shark Watch. See www.mcsuk.org.

2. MCS has been campaigning for many years for a UK Marine Bill to deliver better protection for our seas along with our key NGO partners RSPB, WWF and The Wildlife Trusts under the Wildlife & Countryside Link's Marine Task Force (See www.mcsuk.org or www.wcl.org.uk ). MCS Marine Reserves Now campaign has collected over 100,000 signatures from the general public over 12 months to pressure government to create a network of marine reserves. www.marinereservesnow.org.uk.

3. A survey carried out by the University of York in 2005 sent to 2,000 British citizens revealed that over 95% of respondents believed that over 20% of the seas should be in Highly Protected Marine Reserves. The actual figure of current HPMR in the UK stands at less than 0.005%.

4. 30% Marine Reserves: Many international and UK marine scientists recommend that 30% of our seas should be protected from any extraction or damaging activites to ensure sustainable use of limited resources [Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, (2004) Turning the Tide: Addressing the impact of fisheries on the marine environment.] 33% of the Australian Great Barrier Reef has been designated as a Highly Protected Marine Reserves; New Zealand has 32 marine reserves; the USA in 2006 designated the largest Marine Reserve in the world covering an area of over 341,362km2; the Philippines has local laws requiring each community (equivalent to each English parish) to set up Marine Reserves. The UK only has two tiny No Take Zones (similar to highly protected marine reserves) - an area just 3.3km2 off Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel and Lamlash Bay in Arran, Scotland (1.9km2).

5. Devolution: Responsibility for marine activities in the seas off Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a complex mix of devolved and reserved powers. Wales has signed up to the UK bill while the Scottish Government are committed to introduce a Scottish Marine Bill in 2009. Similar legislative measures are needed in Northern Ireland. See www.savescottishseas.org for further information of the Scottish Marine Bill.

MCS, Unit 3, Wolf Business Park, Alton Road, Ross-on-Wye HR9 5NB Tel: 01989 566017 www.mcsuk.org

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