Interactive marine planning map at MMO

A marine licence is now a legal requirement under section 66 (8) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 which states consent is required to use a vehicle, vessel, aircraft, marine structure or floating container to remove any substance or object from the sea bed within the UK marine licensing area.

The MMO, which administers the licensing system in England, has also developed a new application form specifically for benthic grab sampling as part of its streamlined licensing process.

Andrew Beattie, head of regulations and licensing at the MMO said, “The removal of any substance or object from the seabed may require a licence and I would encourage people to get in touch with us and find out whether the changes affect projects they have planned.

“It’s important that developers make sure they plan for any survey and include sufficient time, at least 10 working days, to allow the MMO to process an application prior to any sampling taking place.”

The MMO currently deals with around 350 licence applications per year and this number is expected to increase significantly as investment in marine development continues to grow.

More information is available from the website: http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/licensing/marine.

The MMO has also launched an online map of British waters which details a wide range of uses that are currently underway, and future developments, such as windfarms. This has not been easily accessible all in one place before and the MMO will be using it as one of its primary resources for planning.

The marine planning portal allows anyone logging on to view a range of information and locations, from details of wind farm developments to conservation areas.

Plan making is already underway in the East Offshore and East Inshore marine plan areas, from Flamborough Head to Felixstowe, with a total of 10 marine plans to be drawn up for England over a decade to inform and guide marine regulators and users.

The map offers an easy way to be involved and contribute to marine planning. Using the controls, users can locate and then zoom in on particular areas or activities by selecting the specific data they want to see. Users can also post comments, make suggestions and submit new data to inform the plans in the East of England, which are expected to take two years to finalise.

A strategic scoping exercise to look at key issues in all of England’s waters has also been carried out by the MMO, and the draft report is now available online at www.marinemanagement.org.uk/marineplanning/ssr.htm and comments are welcomed.

The MMO will be running a series of workshops in the East of England over the coming year which will provide opportunities for others, including those who are not online, to have their say. In addition, the MMO will run a full consultation once draft marine plans are prepared.