http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/23/section/147Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009An Act to make provision in relation to marine functions and activities; to make provision about migratory and freshwater fish; to make provision for and in connection with the establishment of an English coastal walking route and of rights of access to land near the English coast; to enable the making of Assembly Measures in relation to Welsh coastal routes for recreational journeys and rights of access to land near the Welsh coast; to make further provision in relation to Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales; to make provision in relation to works which are detrimental to navigation; to amend the Harbours Act 1964; and for connected purposes.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-07-28Expert Participation2026-07-24 Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 72A(2A)Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(2)(d)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 72A(6)(a)Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(2)(f)(i)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 72A(6)(a)Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(2)(f)(ii)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 72A(6)(b) and wordLevelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023s. 232(2)(f)(iii)s. 247s. 255(9)(a)Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009s. 66(2)(c)The Marine Licensing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment etc.) Order 2026art. 4(5)art. 1(1) Part 5 Chapter 11471In this Chapter—“animal” includes any egg, larva, pupa, or other immature stage of an animal;“appropriate authority” has the meaning given by section 116(5);“the appropriate statutory conservation body” means—in respect of an area in England, Natural England,in respect of an area in Wales, the Natural Resources Body for Wales,in respect of an area outside the seaward limits of the territorial sea, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee;“emergency byelaw” has the meaning given by section 131;“enforcement authority” means, in relation to any area, any authority which has a function (whether or not statutory) of taking any action with a view to or in connection with the imposition of any sanction, criminal or otherwise, in a case where an offence under this Chapter is committed in that area;“England” includes the English inshore region;“interim byelaw” means a byelaw made under section 132(1) or (1A);“interim order” means an order made under section 136(1) or (1A);“marine installation” means any artificial island, installation or structure;“MCZ” means a marine conservation zone designated by an order under section 116;“protected feature”, in relation to an MCZ or proposed MCZ, means any flora, fauna, habitat or feature which is sought to be conserved by the making of the order designating the zone;“sea” has the meaning given by section 322(1), except that it does not include any waters upstream of the fresh-water limit of estuarial waters;“sea fisheries resources” has the same meaning as in Chapter 1 of Part 6, and references to the exploitation of sea fisheries resources are to be read in accordance with section 153(12);“seashore” means—the foreshore, that is to say, land which is covered and uncovered by the ordinary movement of the tide, andany land, whether or not covered intermittently by water, which is in apparent continuity (determined by reference to the physical characteristics of that land) with the foreshore, as far landward as any natural or artificial break in that continuity;“vehicles” includes—bicycles and other non-motorised forms of transport, andhovercraft;“vessels” includes—hovercraft,aircraft capable of landing on water, andany other craft capable of travelling on, in or under water, whether or not capable of carrying any person;“Wales” includes the Welsh inshore region.2In the definition of “sea” in subsection (1) “estuarial waters” means any waters within the limits of transitional waters, within the meaning of the Water Framework Directive (that is to say, Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy).3For provision about the meaning of references to “conserving” a thing, see subsections (4) to (6) of section 117.S. 147 partly in force; s. 147 in force for specified purposes at 12.1.2010 see s. 324(2)(b)(i)Words in s. 147(1) inserted (23.1.2021) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(4)(d), Sch. 10 para. 26(2)(a) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)Pt. 5 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) (E.W.) (1.4.2010 except so far as relating to 2009 c. 23, s. 134 for which purpose the amendment comes into force immediately after that provision comes into force, 1.4.2010) by The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/490), reg. 1(2)(4)(a) 38(3)(4) (with regs. 38(5), 125)Words in s. 147(1) inserted (23.1.2021) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(4)(d), Sch. 10 para. 26(2)(b) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)Pt. 5 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) (E.W.) (30.11.2017) by The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1012), regs. 1(2), 40(3)(4)S. 147(3) inserted (23.1.2021) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(4)(d), Sch. 10 para. 26(3) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)Pt. 5 Ch. 1 applied (with modifications) by S.I. 1994/2716, reg. 36(3)(4) (as substituted (E.W.) (12.1.2010 for specified purposes, 12.12.2014 in so far as not already in force) by Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23), s. 324(2)(b)(i), Sch. 11 para. 4(1); S.I. 2014/3088, art. 2(b))S. 147 in force at 12.12.2014 in so far as not already in force by S.I. 2014/3088, art. 2(b)Words in Pt. 5 Ch. 1 heading inserted (23.1.2021) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(4)(d), Sch. 10 para. 7 (with Sch. 4 para. 31)Words in s. 147(1) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (No. 755), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 443 (with Sch. 7)Words in s. 147(1) inserted (23.1.2021) by Fisheries Act 2020 (c. 22), s. 54(4)(d), Sch. 10 para. 26(2)(c) (with Sch. 4 para. 31)