Clause 149
Marine and Coastal Access Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Huw Irranca-Davies (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Marine and Natural Environment), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Ogmore, Labour)
Part 6 will replace the sea fisheries committees with new bodies in England called inshore fisheries and conservation authorities, which will have a duty to manage sea fisheries sustainably, balancing socio-economic benefits with protection of the marine environment. They will have more money and strengthened powers, but will keep local involvement in decision making. IFCAs will be very different organisations from the sea fisheries committees that they replace. Significantly, IFCAs will have a new duty to protect the marine environment and to promote its recovery from the effects of sea fisheries exploitation. In view of discussion in the other place, we have added a duty in clause 153, which states that IFCAs must take the steps that they consider necessary to contribute to achieving sustainable development.