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Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

Stop notices and emergency safety notices
Section 102: Notice to stop activity causing serious harm etc

305.An enforcement authority may issue a notice to a person prohibiting the person from carrying on a licensable marine activity if that activity is causing or is likely to cause serious harm to the environment or to human health or is causing or is likely to cause serious interference with legitimate uses of the sea. Such a notice is called a stop notice.

306.An enforcement authority may issue a stop notice whether or not the person to whom it is issued has a marine licence or is operating in accordance with the conditions of the licence.

307.A stop notice must state the enforcement authority’s reasons for issuing the notice, the date and time that the activity must cease being carried out and any steps required by the enforcement authority to be carried out to ensure safe cessation.

308.A stop notice may only be in effect for up to seven days. A stop notice may be extended, but only up to a combined total period of 35 days. This limit does not apply where the activity is carried out without a marine licence. In such cases stop notices may remain in effect until a marine licence is granted for the activity in question.

Section 103: Further provision as to stop notices

309.Stop notices must be in writing (see section 322(1)). They must be served on the person carrying on or in control of the activity and, if a licence has been granted for that activity to another person, may also be served on the licensee. A notice may be revoked or varied by a further notice.

310.It is an offence to fail to comply with a stop notice.

Sections 104 and 105: Emergency safety notices; Further provision as to emergency safety notices

311.These sections provide a way to enforce the navigational safety provisions being repealed in section 36A of the Coast Protection Act 1949 and brought within the licensing provisions of the Act.

312.An enforcement authority may issue a notice to a person if it appears that serious interference with legitimate uses of the sea is occurring, or is likely to occur, as a result of licensable works. The notice may require the provision of lights, signals or other aids to navigation or the stationing of guard ships until the serious interference, or threat of interference, is removed.

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