Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013

Monitoring of, and periodical reporting on, marine plans

9.—(1) For so long as a marine plan is in effect, the Department must keep under review—

(a) the effects of the policies in the marine plan;

(b) the effectiveness of those policies in securing that the objectives for which the marine plan was prepared and adopted are met;

(c) the progress being made towards securing those objectives;

(d) if a marine policy statement governs marine planning for the Northern Ireland inshore region, the progress being made towards securing that the objectives for which the marine policy statement was prepared and adopted are met in that region.

(2) The Department must from time to time prepare and publish a report on the matters kept under review pursuant to subsection (1).

(3) After publishing a report under subsection (2), the Department must—

(a) lay a copy of the report before the Assembly; and

(b) decide whether or not to amend or replace the marine plan.

(4) The first report under subsection (2) must be published before the expiration of 3 years beginning with the date on which the marine plan was adopted; and successive reports under that subsection must be published at intervals of no more than 3 years following the date of publication of the previous report.

(5) Any reference in this section to the replacement of a marine plan is a reference to—

(a) preparing and adopting, in accordance with the provisions of this Part, a fresh marine plan (whether or not for the identical marine plan area), and

(b) if the Department has not already done so, withdrawing the marine plan that is to be replaced.

(6) The Department must from time to time prepare and lay before the Assembly a report which—

(a) identifies any marine plans which the Department has prepared and adopted;

(b) describes any intentions the Department may have for the amendment of any marine plans which it has prepared and adopted;

(c) describes any intentions the Department may have for the preparation and adoption of any further marine plans.

(7) The first report prepared under subsection (6) must be laid before the Assembly before the expiration of the period of 6 years beginning with the date of the passing of this Act; and successive reports under that subsection must be laid at intervals of no more than 6 years following the laying of the previous report.

(8) No report under subsection (6) is required to be laid in a case where the period of 6 years following the laying of the previous report ends on or after 1st January 2030.