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Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]


Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Enforcement
Chapter 1 — Enforcement officers

144

 

227     

Consequential and supplementary amendments

(1)   

Schedule 16 (which contains consequential and supplementary amendments

relating to this Chapter) has effect.

(2)   

The following provisions of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975

(c. 51) (which are obsolete or no longer of practical utility) are omitted—

5

(a)   

in section 4 (poisonous matter etc), subsection (2);

(b)   

section 23 (export of salmon and trout);

(c)   

section 24 (consignment of salmon and trout).

Chapter 4

Obsolete fisheries enactments

10

228     

Repeal of spent or obsolete enactments

The following enactments are repealed—

(a)   

the White Herring Fisheries Act 1771 (c. 31);

(b)   

the Seal Fishery Act 1875 (c. 18);

(c)   

section 13 of the Fisheries Act 1891 (c. 37) (proceedings for enforcement

15

of Acts relating to salmon and freshwater fisheries);

(d)   

the North Sea Fisheries Act 1893 (c. 17);

(e)   

the Behring Sea Award Act 1894 (c. 2);

(f)   

the Seal Fisheries (North Pacific) Act 1895 (c. 21);

(g)   

the Seal Fisheries (North Pacific) Act 1912 (c. 10);

20

(h)   

sections 86, 87 and 163 of the Port of London Act 1968 (c. xxxii) (powers

of Port of London Authority in relation to fisheries).

Part 8

Enforcement

Chapter 1

25

Enforcement officers

Marine enforcement officers

229     

Marine enforcement officers

(1)   

In this Chapter “marine enforcement officer” means—

(a)   

any person appointed as such an officer by the MMO;

30

(b)   

any person appointed as such an officer by the Welsh Ministers;

(c)   

any person who is a commissioned officer of any of Her Majesty’s

ships;

(d)   

any person in command or charge of any aircraft or hovercraft of the

Royal Navy, the Army or the Royal Air Force.

35

(2)   

The carrying out of any functions of a marine enforcement officer by a person

appointed under this section by the MMO or the Welsh Ministers (a “civilian

 
 

Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Enforcement
Chapter 1 — Enforcement officers

145

 

marine enforcement officer”) is subject to any limitations specified by the

MMO or (as the case may be) the Welsh Ministers in relation to that person.

(3)   

Until the coming into force of section 1, any power conferred on the MMO by

this section is exercisable by the Secretary of State.

   

Any reference in this Chapter to a marine enforcement officer includes a

5

reference to any person appointed by the Secretary of State as a marine

enforcement officer by virtue of this subsection.

230     

Enforcement of marine licensing regime

(1)   

For the purposes of enforcing Part 4 of this Act, a marine enforcement officer

has—

10

(a)   

the common enforcement powers conferred by this Act;

(b)   

the power conferred by section 257.

   

This is subject to subsection (2).

(2)   

A marine enforcement officer does not have the powers referred to in

subsection (1) for the purposes of enforcing Part 4 of this Act so far as relating

15

to—

(a)   

any activity in Wales or the Welsh inshore region concerning or arising

from the exploration for, or production of, petroleum;

(b)   

anything done in the course of taking installation abandonment

measures in any other part of the relevant enforcement area.

20

(3)   

Subject to subsection (8), the powers which a marine enforcement officer has

for the purposes of enforcing Part 4 of this Act may be exercised—

(a)   

in the relevant enforcement area (and in relation to any vessel, aircraft

or marine structure in that area);

(b)   

in relation to any vessel or marine structure outside the UK marine area

25

which was loaded within the relevant enforcement area;

(c)   

in relation to any British vessel, British aircraft or British marine

structure outside the UK marine area;

(d)   

in Scotland or the Scottish inshore region, in relation to an offence

which the officer reasonably believes has been committed—

30

(i)   

within the relevant enforcement area, or

(ii)   

outside the UK marine area and in circumstances where a

vessel, aircraft or marine structure referred to in paragraph (b)

or (c) was involved in the commission of the offence;

(e)   

in relation to any vessel, aircraft or marine structure in the Scottish

35

offshore region which has been pursued there in accordance with

subsection (4).

(4)   

A vessel, aircraft or marine structure is pursued in accordance with this

subsection if—

(a)   

immediately before the pursuit of the vessel, aircraft or structure

40

commences, the vessel, aircraft or structure is in the relevant

enforcement area,

(b)   

before the pursuit of the vessel, aircraft or structure commences, a

signal is given for it to stop, and

(c)   

the pursuit of the vessel, aircraft or structure is not interrupted.

45

(5)   

The signal referred to in subsection (4)(b) must be given in such a way as to be

audible or visible from the vessel, aircraft or structure in question.

 
 

Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Enforcement
Chapter 1 — Enforcement officers

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(6)   

For the purposes of subsection (4)(c), pursuit is not interrupted by reason only

of the fact that—

(a)   

the method of carrying out the pursuit, or

(b)   

the identity of the vessel or aircraft carrying out the pursuit,

   

changes during the course of the pursuit.

5

(7)   

Nothing in this section affects any right of hot pursuit which a marine

enforcement officer may have under international law.

(8)   

The powers which a civilian marine enforcement officer has for the purposes

of enforcing Part 4 of this Act may not be exercised in relation to any British

warship.

10

(9)   

In this section—

“installation abandonment measures” means any measures taken in

connection with the abandonment of—

(a)   

an offshore installation or submarine pipeline, within the

meaning of Part 4 of the Petroleum Act 1998 (c. 17), or

15

(b)   

a carbon storage installation, within the meaning of section 30

of the Energy Act 2008 (c. 32),

whether or not the measures are taken in pursuance of an

abandonment programme;

“abandonment programme” means—

20

(a)   

an abandonment programme under Part 4 of the Petroleum Act

1998;

(b)   

an abandonment programme under that Part, as it applies by

virtue of section 30 of the Energy Act 2008;

“the relevant enforcement area” means the area that consists of—

25

(a)   

England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and

(b)   

the UK marine licensing area, excluding the Scottish offshore

region.

(10)   

Any term used in this section and in Part 4 of this Act has the same meaning in

this section as it has in that Part.

30

231     

Enforcement of nature conservation legislation

(1)   

For the purposes of enforcing the nature conservation legislation, a marine

enforcement officer has the common enforcement powers conferred by this

Act.

(2)   

In this section “the nature conservation legislation” means—

35

(a)   

sections 1 and 2 of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 (c. 30), and any

orders made under section 3 of that Act;

(b)   

sections 1, 5 to 7, 9, 11, 13, 14 and 14ZA of the Wildlife and Countryside

Act 1981 (c. 69);

(c)   

regulations 37C, 39, 41 and 43 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats,

40

&c) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/2716);

(d)   

any byelaws or orders made by virtue of regulation 28 or 36 of those

Regulations;

(e)   

the Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c) Regulations

2007 (S.I. 2007/1842);

45

(f)   

any byelaws made under section 129 or 132 of this Act;

 
 

Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Enforcement
Chapter 1 — Enforcement officers

147

 

(g)   

any orders made under section 134 or 136 of this Act;

(h)   

section 140 of this Act.

(3)   

Subject to subsections (8) and (9), the powers which a marine enforcement

officer has for the purposes of enforcing the nature conservation legislation

may be exercised—

5

(a)   

in the relevant enforcement area (and in relation to any vessel, aircraft

or marine installation in that area);

(b)   

in relation to any British vessel or British marine installation outside the

UK marine area;

(c)   

in Scotland or Northern Ireland, or the Scottish or Northern Ireland

10

inshore region, in relation to an offence which the officer reasonably

believes has been committed—

(i)   

within the relevant enforcement area, or

(ii)   

outside the UK marine area and in circumstances where a

British vessel or British marine installation was involved in the

15

commission of the offence;

(d)   

in relation to any vessel, aircraft or marine installation in the Scottish

offshore region which has been pursued there in accordance with

subsection (4).

(4)   

A vessel, aircraft or marine installation is pursued in accordance with this

20

subsection if—

(a)   

immediately before the pursuit of the vessel, aircraft or installation

commences, the vessel, aircraft or installation is in the relevant

enforcement area,

(b)   

before the pursuit of the vessel, aircraft or installation commences, a

25

signal is given for it to stop, and

(c)   

the pursuit of the vessel, aircraft or installation is not interrupted.

(5)   

The signal referred to in subsection (4)(b) must be given in such a way as to be

audible or visible from the vessel, aircraft or installation in question.

(6)   

For the purposes of subsection (4)(c), pursuit is not interrupted by reason only

30

of the fact that—

(a)   

the method of carrying out the pursuit, or

(b)   

the identity of the vessel or aircraft carrying out the pursuit,

   

changes during the course of the pursuit.

(7)   

Nothing in this section affects any right of hot pursuit which a marine

35

enforcement officer may have under international law.

(8)   

The powers which a civilian marine enforcement officer has for the purposes

of enforcing the nature conservation legislation may not be exercised in

relation to any British warship.

(9)   

The powers which a marine enforcement officer has for the purposes of

40

enforcing the nature conservation legislation may not be exercised in relation

to any vessel within subsection (10) unless—

(a)   

in the case of a third country vessel, other than a vessel falling within

paragraph (b) or (c) of that subsection, the United Kingdom is entitled

under international law to exercise those powers without the consent of

45

the flag state, or

(b)   

the Commissioners have given authority to exercise those powers.

 
 

Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Enforcement
Chapter 1 — Enforcement officers

148

 

(10)   

The vessels are—

(a)   

a third country vessel;

(b)   

a warship that is being used by the government of a State other than the

United Kingdom;

(c)   

any other vessel that is being used by such a government for any non-

5

commercial purpose.

(11)   

The Commissioners may give authority under subsection (9)(b) only if the flag

state has consented to the United Kingdom exercising those powers (whether

generally or in relation to the vessel in question).

(12)   

In giving such authority, the Commissioners must impose such conditions or

10

limitations on the exercise of the powers as are necessary to give effect to any

conditions or limitations imposed by the flag state.

(13)   

In this section—

“British vessel” means any vessel which—

(a)   

is registered in the United Kingdom under Part 2 of the

15

Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (c. 21),

(b)   

is, as a Government ship, registered in the United Kingdom in

pursuance of an Order in Council under section 308 of that Act,

(c)   

falls within section 1(1)(d) of that Act (small ships),

(d)   

is exempt from registration under section 294 of that Act

20

(general power to dispense),

(e)   

is a British warship, or

(f)   

is registered under the law of Gibraltar;

“Government ship” has the same meaning as in the Merchant Shipping

Act 1995;

25

“the relevant enforcement area” means the area that consists of—

(a)   

England and Wales, and

(b)   

the UK marine area, excluding—

(i)   

the Scottish inshore region,

(ii)   

the Scottish offshore region, and

30

(iii)   

the Northern Ireland inshore region.

232     

Enforcement of fisheries legislation

(1)   

For the purposes of enforcing the fisheries legislation, a marine enforcement

officer has—

(a)   

the common enforcement powers conferred by this Act;

35

(b)   

the powers conferred by sections 258, 262, 263, 273 and 278.

(2)   

In this section “the fisheries legislation” means—

(a)   

any enactments relating to sea fishing, including any enactment

relating to fishing for shellfish, salmon or migratory trout (but see

subsection (3));

40

(b)   

any enforceable EU restrictions and enforceable EU obligations relating

to sea fishing.

(3)   

“The fisheries legislation” does not include—

(a)   

the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 (c. 51);

(b)   

the Salmon Act 1986 (c. 62);

45

 
 

Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Enforcement
Chapter 1 — Enforcement officers

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(c)   

byelaws made by the Environment Agency under Schedule 25 to the

Water Resources Act 1991 (c. 57);

(d)   

the Scotland Act 1998 (Border Rivers) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1746);

(e)   

byelaws made by an inshore fisheries and conservation authority

under section 155.

5

(4)   

Subject to subsection (9), the powers which a marine enforcement officer has

for the purposes of enforcing the fisheries legislation may be exercised—

(a)   

in the relevant enforcement area (and in relation to any vessel, aircraft

or marine installation in that area);

(b)   

in relation to any vessel, vehicle, aircraft or marine installation in any

10

other area within the United Kingdom or the UK marine area which has

been pursued there in accordance with subsection (5);

(c)   

in relation to any relevant British fishing boat in the Scottish zone or the

Northern Ireland zone;

(d)   

in relation to any British vessel or British marine installation outside

15

British fishery limits, other than a Scottish or Northern Ireland fishing

boat.

(5)   

A vessel, vehicle, aircraft or marine installation is pursued in accordance with

this subsection if—

(a)   

immediately before the pursuit of the vessel, vehicle, aircraft or

20

installation commences—

(i)   

the vessel, vehicle, aircraft or installation is in the relevant

enforcement area, or

(ii)   

in the case of a vessel, aircraft or marine installation operating

together with one or more other vessels, aircraft or marine

25

installations to carry out a single activity, any of those vessels,

aircraft or installations is in that area,

(b)   

before the pursuit of the vessel, vehicle, aircraft or installation

commences, a signal is given for it to stop, and

(c)   

the pursuit of the vessel, vehicle, aircraft or installation is not

30

interrupted.

(6)   

The signal referred to in subsection (5)(b) must be given in such a way as to be

audible or visible from the vessel, vehicle, aircraft or installation in question.

(7)   

For the purposes of subsection (5)(c), pursuit is not interrupted by reason only

of the fact that—

35

(a)   

the method of carrying out the pursuit, or

(b)   

the identity of the vessel, vehicle or aircraft carrying out the pursuit,

   

changes during the course of the pursuit.

(8)   

Nothing in this section affects any right of hot pursuit which a marine

enforcement officer may have under international law.

40

(9)   

The powers which a civilian marine enforcement officer has for the purposes

of enforcing the fisheries legislation may not be exercised in relation to any

British warship.

(10)   

In this section—

“British vessel” means any vessel which—

45

(a)   

is registered in the United Kingdom under Part 2 of the

Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (c. 21),

 
 

Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Enforcement
Chapter 1 — Enforcement officers

150

 

(b)   

is wholly owned by persons qualified to own British ships for

the purposes of that Part,

(c)   

is, as a Government ship, registered in the United Kingdom in

pursuance of an Order in Council under section 308 of that Act,

or

5

(d)   

is a British warship;

“enforceable EU obligation” means an obligation to which section 2(1) of

the European Communities Act 1972 (c. 68) applies;

“enforceable EU restriction” means a restriction to which section 2(1) of

that Act applies;

10

“Government ship” has the same meaning as in the Merchant Shipping

Act 1995 (c. 21);

“relevant British fishing boat” means a fishing boat, other than a Scottish

or Northern Ireland fishing boat, which—

(a)   

is registered in the United Kingdom under Part 2 of the

15

Merchant Shipping Act 1995, or

(b)   

is wholly owned by persons qualified to own British ships for

the purposes of that Part;

“the relevant enforcement area” means the area that consists of—

(a)   

England and Wales, and

20

(b)   

the sea within British fishery limits, excluding the Scottish zone

and the Northern Ireland zone.

233     

Marine enforcement officers as British sea-fishery officers

(1)   

Section 7 of the Sea Fisheries Act 1968 (c. 77) (sea-fishery officers) is amended

as follows.

25

(2)   

In subsection (1)—

(a)   

after paragraph (c) insert—

“(ca)   

persons appointed as marine enforcement officers

under section 229 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act

2009;”;

30

(b)   

in paragraph (d), omit “of the Secretary of State or”.

(3)   

After subsection (1) insert—

“(1A)   

A person falling within paragraph (b), (c) or (ca) of subsection (1) above

may not exercise the powers or perform the duties of a British sea-

fishery officer in any case where the person may, in the person’s

35

capacity as a marine enforcement officer, exercise the common

enforcement powers conferred by the Marine and Coastal Access Act

2009 (see Chapter 1 of Part 8 of that Act).”

(4)   

In subsection (5) (definition of “the appropriate Minister”), omit paragraph (a).

Other enforcement officers

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234     

Marine licensing: oil and gas and other reserved matters

(1)   

The Secretary of State may appoint persons for the purposes of enforcing Part

4 of this Act, so far as relating to—

 
 

 
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