Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

Other powers and duties of IFC authorities

172 Development, etc of fisheries

(1) An IFC authority may take such steps as it considers necessary or expedient for or in connection with the development of any fishery for any sea fisheries resources.

(2) Subject to any provision made by or under any Act, the power conferred by subsection (1) includes power to stock or restock a public fishery for any sea fisheries resources.

(3) Nothing in this Chapter is to be taken as preventing an IFC authority from making an application for, or being the grantee of, an order under section 1 of the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967 (c. 83) (orders as to fisheries for shellfish).

173 Provision of services by IFC authorities

(1) An IFC authority may enter into arrangements with another person or body for the provision by the authority of services that are required by the person or body in connection with the exercise of the person’s or body’s functions.

(2) The power conferred by subsection (1) includes—

(a) power to enter into arrangements with any person who is entitled to a right of regulating a fishery conferred by an order under section 1 of the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967 for the provision of services that are required by the person in connection with the enforcement of any provision made by or under the order;

(b) power to enter into arrangements with—

(i) any person who is entitled to a right of several fishery conferred by an order under that section, or

(ii) any person who owns a private shellfish bed (within the meaning of that Act),

for the provision of services that are required by the person in connection with the enforcement of any provision of, or any rights conferred by, section 7 of that Act.

(3) The terms and conditions upon which arrangements under subsection (1) are made may include provision for the making of payments to the authority by the person or body to whom the services are provided.

174 Duty of co-operation

The authority for an IFC district must take such steps as it considers appropriate to co-operate with—

(a) the authority for every IFC district adjoining that district,

(b) the Welsh Ministers, in a case where that district adjoins the Welsh inshore region, and

(c) any other public authority that exercises functions relating to—

(i) the regulation of activities carried on in any part of the sea lying within that district, or

(ii) enforcement in that part of the sea.

175 Information

(1) Every IFC authority must collect such statistics relating to the exploitation of sea fisheries resources within its district as it considers necessary for the purposes of performing its duty under section 153.

(2) Every IFC authority must provide the Secretary of State with such information as the Secretary of State may reasonably require about—

(a) proceedings of the IFC authority;

(b) sea fisheries within the authority’s district;

(c) the effect of the exploitation of sea fisheries resources in that district on the marine environment.

176 Accounts

(1) An IFC authority must keep proper accounts and proper records in relation to the accounts.

(2) The accounts of an IFC authority that by virtue of section 150(3) is a joint committee of councils must be made up yearly to 31st March.

177 Annual plan

(1) Before the beginning of each financial year every IFC authority must make and publish a plan setting out the authority’s main objectives and priorities for the year.

(2) The IFC authority must send a copy of its plan to the Secretary of State.

178 Annual report

(1) As soon as is reasonably practicable after the end of each financial year, every IFC authority must prepare a report on its activities in that year.

(2) A report under this section must be in such form and contain such information as the Secretary of State may require.

(3) A report under this section must be published in such manner as the Secretary of State may require.

(4) The IFC authority must send a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.

179 Supplementary powers

(1) An IFC authority may do anything which appears to it to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of or in connection with the exercise of any of its other functions.

(2) In particular it may—

(a) acquire or dispose of land or other property;

(b) enter into arrangements with other IFC authorities for the establishment of a body to co-ordinate the activities of those authorities which are party to the arrangements.

(3) But an IFC authority has no power to borrow money.