Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

124 Report

(1) Before the end of every relevant period, the appropriate authority must lay before the appropriate legislature a report setting out—

(a) the extent to which, in the opinion of the authority, the objective in section 123(2) has been achieved;

(b) any further steps which, in the opinion of the authority, 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 authority has designated during the relevant period;

(b) in relation to each such MCZ—

(i) the size of the MCZ, and

(ii) the conservation objectives which have been stated for the MCZ;

(c) the number of MCZs designated by the authority 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 authority has made to any orders made under section 116;

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

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

(3) For the purposes of complying with its duty under this section, the appropriate authority for any area may direct the appropriate statutory conservation body for that area to carry out such monitoring of MCZs in that area as is specified in the direction.

(4) A body that is given a direction under subsection (3) must comply with it.

(5) In this section—

• “the appropriate legislature” means—

  (a)

  in relation to the Secretary of State, Parliament;

  (b)

  in relation to the Welsh Ministers, the National Assembly for Wales;

  (c)

  in relation to the Scottish Ministers, the Scottish Parliament;

• “licensable marine activity” has the same meaning as in Part 4;

• “relevant period” means—

  (a)

  the period beginning on the date on which this section comes into force and ending on 31 December 2012;

  (b)

  each subsequent period of six years.