The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is reminding developers of the need to obtain a licence before carrying out removals from the seabed including benthic grab sampling and vibrocore surveys.
A marine licence is now a legal requirement under section 66 (8) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 which states consent is required to use a vehicle, vessel, aircraft, marine structure or floating container to remove any substance or object from the sea bed within the UK marine licensing area.
The MMO, which administers the licensing system in England, has also developed a new application form specifically for benthic grab sampling as part of its streamlined licensing process.
Andrew Beattie , Head of Regulations and Licensing at the MMO, said:
“ The removal of any substance or object from the seabed may require a licence and I would encourage people to get in touch with us and find out whether the changes affect projects they have planned.
“It’s important that developers make sure they plan for any survey and include sufficient time, at least 10 working days, to allow the MMO to process an application prior to any sampling taking place .”
The MMO currently deals with around 350 licence applications per year and this number is expected to increase significantly as investment in marine development continues to grow.
[mappress] Source: marinemanagement ,May 26, 2011;