2. These Regulations apply in relation to any area, and any licensable marine activity carried on in that area, for which the Secretary of State is—
(a)the appropriate licensing authority(1) (and references in these Regulations to “the licensing authority” are to be read accordingly); or
(b)an enforcement authority(2) (and references in these Regulations to “the enforcement authority” are to be read accordingly).
By virtue of section 113(2)(a), (4)(a), (6)(a) and (8) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, the Secretary of State is the appropriate licensing authority as respects anything done in the course of carrying on certain activities in the Scottish offshore region, Wales and the Welsh inshore region, Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland inshore region, and in relation to any other area not mentioned in subsection (2), (4) or (6). See section 322(1) for definitions of those regions.
The Secretary of State is an enforcement authority for the areas for which the Secretary of State is the appropriate licensing authority: see section 114(2) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.