ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION FOR A MARINE BILL

That this House welcomes the inclusion of a draft Marine Bill in the legislative programme; applauds the work of the Marine Conservation Society, the RSPB, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, The Wildlife Trusts and WWF who came together through the Wildlife and Countryside Link coalition to press for a Marine Bill for the 2007-08 legislative programme; notes their disappointment at the omission of a full Bill; notes the continued cross-party political support for a Marine Bill; welcomes the widespread public support for the Bill gathered by these organisations over the summer; believes that with the utmost urgency the United Kingdom needs a new approach to managing and protecting its marine resources, wildlife and cultural heritage; further believes that the Marine Bill must be based on a statutory system of spatial planning to reduce conflict between the many users of these seas as well as reform of inshore fisheries; further believes that, given the extraordinary richness of wildlife in UK seas, the Bill must put protection of wildlife at the heart of marine policy through measures including the designation of a network of marine conservation zones; and calls on the Government to introduce a Marine Bill at the earliest opportunity during the current Parliament.