The Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 2007

Made: 24th June 2007

Laid before Parliament: 3rd July 2007

Coming into force: 21st August 2007

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PART 1 — INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS

Citation and commencement

1

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Interpretation

2

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Application to the Crown

3

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Rights under international law

4

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Meaning of “competent authority”

5

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Duty of competent authorities

6

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PART 2 — CONSERVATION OF NATURAL HABITATS AND HABITATS OF SPECIES

European offshore marine sites

List of sites eligible for identification as of Community importance

7

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Notification of a proposal for a site of Community importance

8

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Modification of list of sites

9

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Consultation as to inclusion of site omitted from the list

10

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Designation of special areas of conservation

11

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Classification of sites as special protection areas

12

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Notification of a proposal to classify a special protection area

13

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Hearings

14

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Meaning of “European offshore marine site” in these Regulations

15

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Duty to compile and maintain a register of European offshore marine sites

16

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Notification of changes to the register

17

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Site protection and management

Establishment of nature conservation objectives

18

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Management schemes for European offshore marine sites

19

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Duty in relation to management schemes

20

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Co-ordinated management of sites

21

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Conservation measures relating to special areas of conservation

22

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Prevention of deterioration of habitats and disturbance of species

23

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Plans and projects

Meaning of “European site” in these Regulations

24

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Protection of European offshore marine sites and European sites

25

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Considerations of overriding public interest

26

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Review of existing decisions and consents

27

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Consideration on review

28

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Co-ordination where more than one competent authority is involved

29

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Compensatory measures

30

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Notification of compensatory measures

31

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Offences

Offences relating to European offshore marine sites

32

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PART 3 — PROTECTION OF SPECIES

Application of offences in Part 3

33

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Protection of birds

Protection of wild birds, their eggs and nests

34

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Defences to the offences in regulation 34

35

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Prohibition of certain methods of capturing or killing wild birds

36

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Sale etc of live or dead wild birds, eggs etc

37

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Penalties

38

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Protection of wild animals

Protection of wild animals listed in Annex IV(a) to the Habitats Directive

39

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Defences to the offences in regulation 39

40

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Prohibition of certain methods of capturing or killing wild animals

41

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Penalties

42

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Protection of plants

Offences relating to wild plants listed in Annex IV(b) to the Habitats Directive

43

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PART 4 — ADDITIONAL PROTECTION OF HABITATS AND WILD ANIMALS AND PLANTS

Duties relating to surveillance and monitoring

Surveillance of conservation status of habitats and species

44

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Protection of certain animals and plants from exploitation

45

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Monitoring incidental capture and killing

46

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Protection from incidental capture and killing

47

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Introduction of new species

Introduction of new species

48

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PART 5 — LICENCES

Power to grant licences

49

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Licences: supplementary provisions

50

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False statements made for obtaining licence

51

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PART 6 — ENFORCEMENT AND SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENCES

Enforcement

Wildlife officers

52

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Powers of boarding, entry and inspection

53

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Additional powers

54

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Powers to make inquiries and examine things

55

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Powers relating to specimens

56

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Powers relating to documents and recording evidence of offences

57

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Further powers in relation to ships

58

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Assistance for wildlife officers

59

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Power to use reasonable force

60

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Liability of wildlife officers

61

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Offences in relation to wildlife officers

62

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Supplementary provision relating to criminal offences

Jurisdiction of courts

63

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Possession of means of committing offence

64

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Offences by bodies corporate, &c.

65

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Territorial Waters Jurisdiction Act 1878

66

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PART 7 — MISCELLANEOUS

Research

67

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Nature conservation education

68

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Re-introduction of species

69

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Advisory role of the JNCC

70

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Advice on appropriate assessments

71

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Reports to the Commission

72

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Form of communications

73

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Notices

74

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Amendments to the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Conservation of Habitats) Regulations 2001

75

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SCHEDULE 1 — EUROPEAN PROTECTED SPECIES

Common name	Scientific Name
NOTE. Common names are given in the first column of this Schedule by way of guidance only; in the event of any dispute or proceedings, the common name shall not be taken into account.	NOTE. Common names are given in the first column of this Schedule by way of guidance only; in the event of any dispute or proceedings, the common name shall not be taken into account.
Dolphins, porpoises and whales (all species)	Cetacea
Sturgeon, Common	Acipenser sturio
Turtles, Marine	Caretta caretta Chelonia mydas Dermochelys coriacea Eretmochelys imbricata Lepidochelys kempii

SCHEDULE 2 — EXCLUDED POPULATIONS OF CERTAIN SPECIES

Common Name	Scientific Name	Excluded countries and areas
NOTE. Common names are given in the first column of this Schedule by way of guidance only; in the event of any dispute or proceedings, the common name shall not be taken into account.	NOTE. Common names are given in the first column of this Schedule by way of guidance only; in the event of any dispute or proceedings, the common name shall not be taken into account.	NOTE. Common names are given in the first column of this Schedule by way of guidance only; in the event of any dispute or proceedings, the common name shall not be taken into account.
Beaver, Eurasian	Castor fiber	Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden
Hamster, European (or Black bellied)	Cricetus cricetus	Hungary
Wolf, Grey	Canis lupus	Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece north of the 39th parallel, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Spain north of the River Duero, and the reindeer management area in Finland as defined in paragraph 2 of Finnish Act No. 848/90 of 14th September 1990 on reindeer management[^f00053]
Lynx, Eurasian	Lynx lynx	Estonia
Viper, Seoane’s	Vipera seoanni	Spain

SCHEDULE 3 — ANIMALS WHICH MAY NOT BE TAKEN OR KILLED IN CERTAIN WAYS

Common name	Scientific name
NOTE. Common names are given in the first column of this Schedule by way of guidance only; in the event of any dispute or proceedings, the common name shall not be taken into account.	NOTE. Common names are given in the first column of this Schedule by way of guidance only; in the event of any dispute or proceedings, the common name shall not be taken into account.
Seals (all species)	Phocidae
Shad, Alis Shad, Twaite	Alosa alosa Alosa fallax
Sturgeon (all species except the common sturgeon)	Acipenseridae (except Acipenser sturio)

Signed

Ben Bradshaw — Minister of State — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs — 2007-06-24

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

EXPLANATORY NOTE