Summary
Proposals on the selection and designation of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in the Northern Ireland inshore region.
Documents
Consultation description
Due to the nature of the devolution settlement for Northern Ireland and the
complex mix of devolved and non-devolved functions, this new framework
for the marine environment, based on sustainable development principles,
could only be achieved in Northern Ireland through three interlocking
pieces of legislation:
• the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c.23) which received Royal
Assent on 12 November 2009;
• UK-wide Marine Strategy Regulations 2010 (No.1627), which came into
operation on 15 July 2010 and which transpose the Marine Strategy
Framework Directive (2008/56/EC); and
• the Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 which received Royal Assent
on 17 September 2013 and includes provisions to designate Marine
Conservation Zones (MCZs) to protect nationally important marine
habitats and species inside 12 nautical miles.
The Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 (the Act) gives the Department
of the Environment (the Department) new powers to better protect and
manage the marine environment of Northern Ireland. These powers
include a new mechanism for the conservation of marine biodiversity
through the designation of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) – a new type of marine protected area.
This guidance is being issued in draft form, in order to explain to
stakeholders and decision makers how the Department envisages the
provisions in Part 3 of the Act will be used to designate MCZs to contribute
to the establishment of an ecologically coherent network of well managed
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Northern Ireland inshore region.
Ways to respond
Consultation closed — responses are no longer being accepted.