(1)The Secretary of State’s functions of granting and revoking licences under section 10 of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 (c. 30) (power to grant licences) are transferred to the MMO.
(2)Any licences—
(a)granted by the Secretary of State under that section before the coming into force of this section, and
(b)having effect in relation to the whole or any part of England or the English inshore region,
are to have effect as from the coming into force of this section as licences granted by the MMO.
(3)Any application for a licence under that section in relation to the whole or any part of England or the English inshore region which was made, but not determined or withdrawn, before the coming into force of this section is to be treated as an application made to the MMO after the coming into force of this section.
(1)Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69) (power to grant licences) is amended as follows.
(2)After subsection (8) insert—
“(8A)In this section, in the case of a licence under any of subsections (1) to (4), so far as relating to the restricted English inshore region (see subsection (12)), “the appropriate authority” means the Marine Management Organisation.”.
(3)In subsection (9) (meaning of “the appropriate authority”) at the beginning insert “Except as provided by subsection (8A),”.
(4)At the end of the section insert—
“(12)In this section—
(a)“the restricted English inshore region” means so much of the English inshore region as lies to seaward of mean low water mark;
(b)“the English inshore region” has the meaning given by section 322 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.”.
(5)To the extent that an application for a licence under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which was made, but not determined or withdrawn, before the coming into force of this section relates to the restricted English inshore region, the application is to be treated as an application made to the MMO after the coming into force of this section.
In section 1(1) of the Sea Fisheries (Wildlife Conservation) Act 1992 (c. 36) (conservation in the exercise of sea fisheries functions) after “the Minister or Ministers” insert “or the Marine Management Organisation”.