Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It creates "a new system of marine management".

Provisions

Marine Management Organisation

Section 1 creates the Marine Management Organisation.
Sections 1 to 3 and Schedules 1 and 2 came into force on 12 January 2010.

Exclusive economic zone

Section 41 gave the powers to establish an Exclusive economic zone, with the zone defined by Exclusive Economic Zone Order 2013 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 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.

Marine conservation zones

The act allows for the establishment of marine conservation zones.