Modified Fees, Exemptions, and Self-Service Licenses for Maritime Operations

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the marine licence service, affecting both the English inshore and offshore region, as well as the Northern Ireland offshore region.

The consultation aims to improve the efficiency and cost recovery of the marine licensing service, but it does not specify how these improvements will be achieved. The proposed changes also involve altering the list of activities requiring a marine licence, with five new activities being proposed for exemption, while some existing exemptions may be removed.

Two new self-service licences are being proposed, but the nature and details of these new exemptions or self-service licences are not yet disclosed. Similarly, the consultation does not provide information about the current fees for the marine licence service or the regions mentioned.

The MMO has also announced that four existing exemptions from requiring a marine licence will be amended, but the specifics of these changes are not detailed in the consultation. The proposed changes do not provide information about the current list of activities exempted from requiring a marine licence in the regions mentioned.

One of the key objectives of the proposed changes is to support the government's plans for growth and nature recovery. However, the consultation does not provide details on how these changes will contribute to these goals.

It's important to note that the regions regulated by the MMO are included in the consultation. The name of the government authority that could replace the MMO regarding marine licensing is the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), but this is not a part of the current consultation.

The consultation does not mention any changes to the current exemptions from requiring a marine licence for regions outside of the English inshore and offshore region and the Northern Ireland offshore region.

Lastly, the MMO is proposing changes to the marine licence service fees, but the details of these changes are not yet available in the consultation. The public is encouraged to participate in the consultation to provide their views on these proposed changes.