Clause 129
Marine and Coastal Access Bill [Lords]
9:00 am
Nick Ainger (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Labour)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship on this beautiful morning, Mr. Pope. I have a couple of questions on clauses 129 to 134, which includes byelaws in Wales to protect marine conservation zones. Again, I have been approached by the Countryside Council for Wales, which would like to know whether it would be possible for byelaws to control movement, not just in MCZs, but in the areas immediately outside them. That is with particular regard to the disturbance of seabirds and marine mammals. The MCZ may well have been set up to protect them, but they do move. I am thinking, for example, of the gannets that nest on Grassholm and similar areas. The CCW seeks information and clarity on whether byelaws can be made that are not limited to the geographic location of the MCZs but cover areas immediately outside or some distance away from them. It is seeking to protect a particular species and avoid disturbance.