Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

Download the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

Unlike the pressures encountered on land, those which are inflicted on marine life are hidden from sight under the blanket of the sea. The resulting deterioration of the marine environment has given rise to the need for management of our maritime resources in a sustainable manner, and on 12 November 2009, a ground-breaking piece of legislation received Royal Assent…The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. With the UK being the first country in the world to successfully introduce a single piece of legislation to protect the marine environment, the introduction of this Act will recognise that our marine resources are just as important as those on land, thus enabling us to offer some protection for future generations, whilst bringing together the conservation, social and economic needs of our seas.

To clarify the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, Defra have published Explanatory Notes to be read in conjunction with the Act.

The Act will aim to create a network of Marine Conservation Zones, establish a new Marine Management Organisation (MMO), and create a single coastal footpath around England. To find out more about what the introduction of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 will bring, please use the links on the left.

Further information on the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 can be found on Defra’s website here.