Millions of visitors every year come to Wales because of this stunning asset contributing nearly £600 million to the local economy. However, tourists are not the only users dependent upon our seas - many livelihoods in Wales are utterly reliant upon them. In fact the Welsh Territorial Seas are among the most heavily exploited in the world and as a result both species and human livelihoods are now under threat.

This is because to date legislation and planning in the marine environment have developed in an ad hoc manner on a sector by sector basis with no joined up thinking - there is no one piece of legislation that deals with the marine environment as a single entity. It's a bit like having no central planning system on land - a complete mess! It is confusing, fragmented and conflicting. Without robust and comprehensive reform of marine management, increased conflicts of interest and declining Welsh marine resources are unavoidable.

For many years, alongside WWF-UK and many other environmental organisations, WWF Cymru has been calling for a marine bill that will afford proper protection to our seas and the biodiversity within them. We are therefore delighted that the UK government and the Welsh Assembly Government have recognised this need and are working together to deliver the UK's first Marine Act.

Once the UK marine bill has been enacted in Parliament it will 'enable' the Welsh Assembly Government to pass secondary legislation in Wales in order to deliver better management of our marine environment. It is therefore important that both Westminster and the Welsh Assembly Government are aware of our concern for the better protection of our seas and continue to take positive steps to see a strong bill through to completion.

What is WWF Cymru calling for from the marine Bill?

A strong Marine Act will improve our management of the marine environment in five ways:

1. Better management of our marine fisheries
   The existing regime for England and Wales has been in place for hundreds of years, with the last significant revision of the legislative framework being in the mid 1960s. Read more.
2. Marine Spatial Planning
   Without planning we cannot identify activities best suited to the area as we can do on land. Read more.
3. Licensing and consents
   Legislation has developed on an ad hoc and piecemeal basis which can be confusing. Read more.
4. Better management of our wildlife
   Although 70% of our coastline lies within Special Areas of Conservation under EU legislation it continues to suffer form over-exploitation and lack of protection. Read more.
5. A new management body?
   In order to achieve the radical and long overdue reform required a new fully resourced management organisation will be needed. Read more.