Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

Reports

21.—(1) Before the end of every relevant period, the Department must lay before the Assembly a report setting out—

(a) the extent to which, in the opinion of the Department, the objective in section 20(2) has been achieved;

(b) any further steps which, in the opinion of the Department, are required to be taken in order to contribute to the achievement of that objective.

(2) The report must also contain the following information—

(a) the number of MCZs which the Department has designated during the relevant period;

(b) in relation to each such MCZ—

(i) the size of the MCZ, and

(ii) the conservation objectives stated for the MCZ;

(c) the number of MCZs designated by the Department in which the following activities are prohibited or significantly restricted—

(i) any licensable marine activity;

(ii) fishing for or taking animals or plants from the sea;

(d) information about any amendments which the Department has made to any orders made under section 13;

(e) the extent to which, in the opinion of the Department, the conservation objectives stated for each MCZ which it has designated have been achieved;

(f) any further steps which, in the opinion of the Department, are required to be taken in relation to any MCZ in order to achieve the conservation objectives stated for it.

(3) In this section—

“licensable marine activity” has the same meaning as in Part 4 of the 2009 Act;

“relevant period” means—

(a)

the period beginning on the date on which this section comes into operation and ending on 31 December 2018;

(b)

each subsequent period of 6 years.