Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It creates "a new system of marine management".Explanatory notes, paragraph 3

Provisions

Marine Management Organisation

Section 1(1) of the act creates the Marine Management Organisation.

Sections 1 to 3 of, and schedules 1 and 2 to, the act came into force on 12 January 2010.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

Exclusive economic zone Section 41 of the act 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.

Coastal access Sections 296 to 310 of the act provide for the establishment of an English coastal walking route and of rights of access to land near the English coast. 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.

Marine conservation zones The act allows for the establishment of marine conservation zones.

See also Ministerial order

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,

External links

Explanatory notes to the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, prepared by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.