Water Resources Act 1963

9 Areas of river authorities for purposes of transferred functions

(1) For the purposes of the functions of a river authority relating to fisheries, the area of the authority shall include those tidal waters and parts of the sea adjoining the coast of the river authority area in which Her Majesty's subjects have the exclusive right of fishing, in so far as, apart from this subsection, those waters and parts of the sea would not be included in the river authority area for the purposes of the enactments relating to fisheries.

(2) Any question arising under the preceding subsection as to the extent of the tidal waters and parts of the sea included in the area of a river authority for the purposes mentioned in that subsection shall be determined by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, whose decision shall be final.

(3) For the purposes of the functions of a river authority relating to river pollution, the area of the authority shall include those tidal waters and parts of the sea adjoining the coast of the river authority area to which any of the provisions of the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act 1951 for the time being apply by virtue of an order made, or having effect as if made, under section 6 of that Act, in so far as, apart from this subsection, those waters and parts of the sea would not be included in the river authority area for the purposes of the enactments relating to river pollution.

(4) The designation by or under this Act of the area of a river authority shall not be construed as affecting the performance by the authority, outside the limits of the area so designated, of any functions by virtue of—

(a) section 19 (1) of the Land Drainage Act 1961 (which relates to sea defence works), or

(b) the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Acts 1951 to 1961, or any order made under any of those Acts, whether before or after the passing of this Act.

(5) Nothing in this section shall affect the construction of any reference in this Act to a river authority area, other than any such reference in this section or in Schedule 3 to this Act.