The relevant legislation for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in the marine environment can be tricky to keep up with. Within UK waters, licensing is now generally controlled by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
A Marine Bio-images scientific diver videos along a survey transect line as part of a no-take-zone monitoring programme. West Scotland.
The requirements for Marine licensing and Environmental Impact Assessment are set within the Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations under Part 4 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, and the 2011 amendment. Essentially what this means is that, before a license can be issued for a given development or activity, the MMO will determine whether an EIA is required; this assessment is based on the type, scale, location and potential environmental impacts of the proposal. There is a three stage process to the license application:
- screening
- scoping
- environmental review and submission
Up to two hours of advice is given free by the MMO during the initial screening process. During this process the MMO will determine whether an EIA is likely to be required.
If it is determined that an EIA is required, then the scoping process will identify the sensitivities and issues that will need to be addressed in the impact assessment, and the type of information that will need to be included in the Environmental Statement. The scoping process is likely to require advice from other statutory bodies, such as Natural England (NE), in particular where there is likely to be a requirement for a Habitat Regulation Assessment or where the proposal may potentially impact on European Protected Species. The Environmental Statement should include all aspects of the EIA, including a detailed description of the development, an assessment of the information required to properly assess the effects of the development and any proposed mitigation or alternative proposals.
Marine Bio-images is able to assist in all aspects the marine EIA and Environmental Statement production. This includes liaising with statutory bodies, guidance on likely impacts, conducting surveys and data collection and Environmental Statement production.
For more information please email Marine Bio-images or telephone us on +44(0) 7926478199
+44(0) 7926478199.