Article 9 Insertion of article 24A

After article 24 insert—

“Use of vehicles or vessels to remove marine litter and debris

24A.

(1)

Article 4 applies to a removal activity using a vehicle or vessel carried on by or on behalf of a Harbour Authority for the purpose of removing marine litter and debris from the area within its jurisdiction.

(2)

But article 4 does not apply to any such removal activity—

(a)

that is likely to cause damage to features of archaeological or historic interest in an area where the activities in question occur; or

(b)

that—

(i)

falls within paragraph (3); and

(ii)

is not directly connected with or necessary for the management of a site or zone (as the case may be) referred to in that paragraph.

(3)

An activity falls within this paragraph if—

(a)

it is a plan or project likely (either alone or in combination with other plans or projects) to have a significant effect on a European site;

(b)

it is likely to have a significant effect on a Ramsar site; or

(c)

it is capable of affecting (other than insignificantly)—

(i)

the protected features of an MCZ;

(ii)

any ecological or geomorphological process on which the conservation of any protected feature of an MCZ is (wholly or in part) dependent.

(4)

In paragraph (3)(a) and (b), “likely” has the same meaning as in the Habitats Directive.”.