Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial Sea (12 NM):
- Inshore: 5335.33 km2
- Offshore: 1474.14 km2
- Exclusive Economic Zone: As above
Strategic documents related to MSP
Technical resources related to MSP
National projects
- SIMAtlantic – Supporting the Implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning in the Atlantic (2019-2021)
- MARPAMM – Marine Protected Area Management and Monitoring (2018-2022)
- MOSES – Maritime, Ocean Sector and Ecosystem Sustainability (2018-2021)
- COMPASS – Collaborative Oceanography and Monitoring for Protected Areas and Species (2017-2022)
- ALICE – Improving the Management of Atlantic Landscapes (2016)
- SIMCelt – Supporting Implementation of MSP in the Celtic Seas (2015-2018)
- TPEA – Transboundary Planning in the European Atlantic (2012-2014)
- SWELL – Shared Waters Enhancement & Loughs Legacy
Current status of MSP
Name of the plan |
Draft Marine Plan for Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
Approved for Public Consultation April 2018 |
Size of planning area in km2
|
6 800 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Underway |
Plan implementation
|
Underway |
Plan review
|
N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (Local/ Sub-national/ National)
|
National |
Scope (Coastal Zone /Coastal and Marine /Marine)
|
Coastal and Marine |
Purpose (Strategic /Zoning /Comprehensive)
|
Strategic |
Political commitment (Informal /Executive decision / Legal statute)
|
Legal statute |
Implementation framework (Guiding /Legally binding)
|
Legally binding |
Main objectives (Biodiversity conservation / Economic development / Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (Limited / Partial allocation /Detailed allocation)
|
Limited |
Stakeholders involved (Limited /Key sectors /Sectors & Public)
|
Sectors & Public |
Participatory process (Informative /Consultative /Collaborative)
|
Consultative |
Funding (Government /Public-Private /Grants)
|
Government |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) |
Governmental funding |
The Northern Ireland Executive provides funding to DAERA |
External funding |
N/A |
Public-Private funding |
N/A |
Total size of planning area |
Inshore 5 335.33 km²; Offshore 1 474.14 km² |
Time required to complete the planning document |
DAERA’s target is to have the NI Marine Plan adopted by March 2023 |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
|
Stakeholder engagement activities |
All stakeholder engagement has taken place in line with the Statement of Public Participation and its earlier publicationsStakeholder engagement took place at the initiation, evidence gathering and preparation stages to inform the development of the Draft Marine Plan. Those involved included key sectors / industry groups, environmental NGOs, local councils, local interest groups, the public, statutory partners and other government bodies and bordering administrations.
Methods used include meetings, discussions, workshops, newsletters, email, website and other public and school events During the public consultation period on the Draft Marine Plan, over 70 organizations and individuals completed submissions either online, by email or submitted in writing. Submissions were received from a broad range of stakeholders, including members of the public, coastal community groups, environmental NGOs, sports bodies, stakeholder representative bodies, fisheries organizations, energy providers, Local Authorities, and public sector bodies. Stakeholder engagement on the development and implementation of the plan is ongoing and it is hoped to engage stakeholders further in the co-design of the next iteration of the Marine Plan NI. |
Sectors included in planning |
Aquaculture Carbon Capture and Storage Commercia Fishing Defence and National Security Dredging Energy Heritage Assets Marine Aggregates Natural Heritage Ports, Harbours and Shipping Telecommunications Cabling Tourism and Recreation |
Articulation between MSP and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM) |
DAERA has a team within the same Division as the Marine Plan Team dealing with Coastal Management (The Marine Conservation and Reporting Team). DAERA and the Department for Infrastructure jointly commissioned a baseline study of coastal change data in Northern Ireland which reported in January 2019.
The report assessed available data on the Northern Ireland coastline and concluded that the data currently available is insufficient to develop the Coastal Erosion Vulnerability mapping necessary for effective management of our coast and more information and data is required to bring the understanding of coastal erosion to a sufficient level. This preliminary risk assessment data has been made publicly available in an online map viewer and for download to assist with decision making. Following publication of the report, Departments, Local Authorities and the National Trust have set up a Coastal Forum, co-chaired by Ministers to provide guidance on coastal planning to local Councils. A project to measure wave activity in the Irish Sea enabling more accurate models of the effects of wave climate on the Northern Ireland Coast has already been undertaken, and the Forum is seeking collaborations with academia for further studies. |
Articulation between MSP and marine conservation (including the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) |
The Draft Marine Plan for Northern Ireland has been updated, prior to its adoption and publication as a finalised marine plan, to include further commitments and legislative requirements for marine conservation, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
The Draft Marine Plan for Northern Ireland has been updated, prior to its adoption and publication as a finalised marine plan, to include further commitments and legislative requirements for sustainable blue economy including the UK participation in the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. |
Articulation between MSP and climate change (including the Paris Agreement) |
The Draft Marine Plan for Northern Ireland has been updated, prior to its adoption and publication as a finalised marine plan, to include further commitments and legislative requirements for climate change mitigation and adaptation including the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. |
Plan approval process |
The finalised Marine Plan requires approval of Minister for DAERA, Northern Ireland Executive, and Secretary of State for DEFRA. |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Legally binding |
Plan review process |
Keep the Plan under review. |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
Prepare a report every 3 years after adoption. |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches |
DAERA marine planning team attend meetings with MSP teams of neighbouring countries and with transboundary organisations (ICES, OSPAR etc.) and transboundary stakeholder groups (e.g. Irish Sea Maritime Forum). |
Legal framework
Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009:
- Provides for a statement of policy in the UK marine area, its preparation, review, amendment and withdrawal
- Identifies the component regions within the UK marine area and provides for the creation of marine plans, their amendment, withdrawal and duty to keep relevant matters under review
- Provides for the delegation of functions relating to marine plans, decisions affected by the marine policy statement or marine plan, monitoring and reporting
Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013:
- Defines the geographical area to which the Act applies
- Provides for the creation of marine plans in the Northern Ireland inshore region and sets out basic requirements as to their content and the way in which they are to be prepared; it also provides for their amendment, withdrawal and duty to keep relevant matters under review
- The Act also makes about the effect which marine plans will have on certain decisions by public authorities, and the monitoring of and reporting on marine plans
Contact
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Hugh Edwards – Deputy Principal