Made under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009
4 statutory instruments made using powers in the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, newest first. Each one is explained section by section in plain English.
The Marine Licensing (Exempted Activities and Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
- Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Made under: Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009
Adjusted marine licensing fees, introduced annual inflation-linked increases, and modified exemptions for activities affecting Highly Protected Marine Areas.
These regulations amend the legal framework for marine licensing in UK waters, increasing the standard hourly fee for licence applications to £155 and introducing annual inflation-linked adjustments.
The document establishes new exemptions for specific maintenance tasks on bridges and the installation of advanced mooring systems while simultaneously restricting existing exemptions for activities that could impact Highly Protected Marine Areas.
It applies to the Secretary of State as the licensing authority and affects any person or organization—such as harbour authorities, researchers, or developers—engaged in licensable marine activities like deposits, removals, or construction in the marine environment.
The Pollution Prevention and Control (Fees) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026
Increased the hourly fee rates for specialist and non-specialist officers involved in the environmental regulation of offshore oil and gas activities.
These Regulations increase the hourly rates used to calculate fees for environmental regulatory activities performed by the Secretary of State in Relation to the offshore oil and gas industry.
The instrument amends the rate for specialist officers from £210 to £256 and for non-specialist officers from £114 to £130 across several statutory frameworks, including those governing habitat conservation, offshore safety, and environmental impact assessments.
These changes apply to operators and entities subject to UK offshore licensing and environmental compliance monitoring in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The Marine Licensing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment etc.) Order 2026
- Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Made under: Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009
Expanded UK marine licensing requirements to include various activities conducted by UK persons or vessels in international waters and the high seas.
This Order expands the scope of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 by designating ten new categories of licensable marine activities conducted in areas beyond national jurisdiction, such as the high seas and the international seabed.
It requires British vessels, aircraft, structures, and 'United Kingdom persons' to obtain licenses for activities including depositing substances, scuttling vessels, constructing works, dredging, and using explosives in these areas.
The Order also establishes specific exemptions for activities that do not require environmental impact assessments and aligns the new regulations with existing Scottish marine legislation and cable maintenance protocols.
The Pollution Prevention and Control (Fees) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025
The 2025 regulations amended several existing regulations to increase fees for environmental regulation of the offshore oil and gas industry.
The Pollution Prevention and Control (Fees) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025 increase hourly rates for specialist and non-specialist officers involved in environmentally regulating the offshore oil and gas industry.
These fee increases, effective immediately, apply to several existing regulations governing offshore petroleum activities, licensing, and environmental impact assessments.
The changes aim to update existing fees to better reflect the cost of providing regulatory services.