Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009
| Act of Parliament | |
| Long title | An 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. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 2009 c. 23 |
| Introduced by | Hilary Benn (Commons) Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lords) |
| Territorial extent | [b] |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 12 November 2009 |
| Commencement | various[c] |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends |
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| Repeals/revokes |
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Status: Amended | |
| History of passage through Parliament | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
| Text of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009[a] (c. 23) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It creates "a new system of marine management".[1]
Provisions
Marine Management Organisation
Section 1(1) creates the Marine Management Organisation.
Sections 1 to 3 and schedules 1 and 2 came into force on 12 January 2010.[2]
Exclusive economic zone
Section 41 gave the powers to establish an exclusive economic zone (EEZ), with the zone defined by Exclusive Economic Zone Order 2013 (SI 2013/3161) which came into force on 31 March 2014. The UK was later than most states in establishing an EEZ, previously relying on overlapping maritime zones for fisheries; pollution control; and energy matters.[3][4]
Coastal access
Sections 296 to 310 provide for the establishment of an English coastal walking route and of rights of access to land near the English coast.[5] They also contain supplementary legislation concerning the powers of the Welsh Assembly concerning the Wales Coast Path.
The King Charles III England Coast Path, created on the basis of the legislation, was officially opened in March 2026.[6]
Marine conservation zones
The act allows for the establishment of marine conservation zones.[7]
See also
Notes
References
- James Burton and Caroline Allen. "Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009". Current Law Statutes Annotated 2009. Sweet & Maxwell. Thomson Reuters. 2010. Volume 2. Chapter 23. pp 23-1 to 23-356.
- Halsbury's Statutes,
- ^ Explanatory notes, paragraph 3
- ^ The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2009 (SI 2009/3345 (C. 153)), article 2 and paragraph 1 of the Schedule
- ^ Gibson, J. (January 2009). "The United Kingdom's elusive exclusive economic zone". Journal of Water Law. 20 (4). Retrieved 20 November 2018.
- ^ "The Exclusive Economic Zone Order 2013". legislation.gov.uk. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
- ^ Boffey, Daniel (28 December 2023). "Path of much resistance: 2,700-mile England coast route nears completion". BBC News. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ Rowlatt, Justin (19 March 2026). "King opens world's longest coastal path around England". BBC News. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
- ^ "Coastal zones: UK's protected 'blue belt' expanded". BBC News. 17 January 2016.
External links
- Text of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.
- Text of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 as originally enacted or made within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.
- Explanatory notes to the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, prepared by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.