[email protected] www.gov.uk/defra 30th January 2015 Dear Consultee, Consultation on Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Proposals for UK Programme of Measures Defra, the Northern Ireland executive, the Scottish government and the Welsh government are seeking views on the UK’s proposed programme of measures to maintain or achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) in their seas by 2020. The consultation covers proposals for programme of measures for each of the 11 Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) descriptors. These relate to biological diversity, non-indigenous species, commercially exploited fish and shellfish, food webs, humaninduced eutrophication, sea floor integrity, hydrographical conditions, contaminants, contaminants in fish and other seafood, marine litter and introduction of energy (including underwater noise). The consultation does not cover the initial assessment of the state of the UK’s seas and GES characteristics, targets and indicators. These were covered in a previous consultation and the UK’s approach is documented in Marine Strategy Part One published December 2012 (www.gov.uk/government/publications/marine-strategy-part-one-uk-initialassessment-and-good-environmental-status). The consultation also does not cover the UK’s marine monitoring programme. This was completed in July 2014 with the publication of the Marine Strategy Part Two (www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/341146/msfd-part2-final.pdf). The aims of the directive are consistent with the UK government and devolved administrations’ vision of “clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas” as set out in the UK Marine Policy Statement. In line with the UK Marine Policy Statement, the UK government and devolved administrations have already put in place and committed to taking many measures that will improve the state of the UK’s marine environment as part of ensuring sustainable development, most notably through the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013. Equally, measures taken as a result of existing EU legislation, such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the Birds and Habitats Directives and the newly reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), also contribute to improving the state of the UK’s marine and coastal environments. The UK has adopted a proportionate approach that avoids gold-plating, but which is considered sufficient to meet the requirements of the directive. The consultation document can be found on Defra’s website: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/marine/msfd-programme-of-measures You can find more information on the MSFD at: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/protecting-and-sustainably-using-the-marineenvironment/supporting-pages/implementing-the-marine-strategy-framework-directive Responses We welcome your views and comments on the proposals. Please send responses by 24th April 2015 to [email protected] Or Marine Strategy Framework Directive Implementation Team Area 8B Nobel House 17 Smith Square London SW1P 3JR Alternatively, you can respond online via the consultation page that can be found at https://consult.defra.gov.uk/marine/msfd-programme-of-measures If you wish to obtain a hard copy of this consultation please use the contact details above. Related consultations Given the strong links between implementation of MSFD and other policy areas, interested parties may also wish to respond to the following related consultations: - the implementation of the demersal landing obligation (https://consult.defra.gov.uk/fisheries/demersal-landing-obligation-in-england) - the second tranche of Marine Conservation Zones (https://consult.defra.gov.uk/marine/tranche2mczs) - the river basin management plans under the Water Framework Directive (England and Wales: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/update-to-the-draft-river-basinmanagement-plans; Scotland: www.sepa.org.uk/water/river_basin_planning.aspx; and Northern Ireland: www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/waterhome/rbp_water_framework_directive/2015-water-framework-directive.htm) Consultation Criteria This consultation is in line with the government’s Consultation Principles. This can be found at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/consultation-principles-guidance. Copies of responses will be made available to the public on request. If you do not want your response – including your name, contact details and any other personal information – to be publicly available, please say so clearly in writing when you send your response to the consultation. Please note, if your computer automatically includes a confidentiality disclaimer, that won’t count as a confidentiality request. Please explain why you need to keep details confidential. We will take your reasons into account if someone asks for this information under freedom of information legislation. But, because of the law, we cannot promise that we will always be able to keep those details confidential. We will summarise all responses and place this summary on our website at: www.gov.uk/defra. This summary will include a list of names of organisations that responded but not people’s personal names, addresses or other contact details. If you have any comments or complaints about the consultation process, please address them to Defra Consultation Co-ordinator, 629 Milbank, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR or email [email protected]. Thank you for your help in this matter. If you have any queries please contact us as above. Yours sincerely, Dominic Pattinson Head of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Implementation team Defra