Marine planning
The Marine Act enables marine activities to be planned in a strategic way. The new system must ensure:
- An ecosystem-based approach to marine planning that ensures space for wildlife
- Thorough appraisal of the new UK-wide Marine Policy Statement and marine plans to ensure that developments do not push the natural environment beyond its limits
- Plans for all UK waters not just selected areas, particularly once parallel legislation is in place for inshore waters in Scotland and Northern Ireland
- A system that works well across marine and coastal boundaries between England, Wales, Scotlandand Northern Ireland, and that integrates land-use plans with marine plans.

