These Regulations, also for the purpose of transposing into the law of Gibraltar of Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of marine environmental policy, are establishing the complete set of provisions necessary for the elaboration and implementation of national marine strategies. The competent authority shall exercise its functions under these Regulations so as to secure compliance with the requirements of the Directive, including the requirement to take necessary measures to achieve or maintain good environmental status of marine waters within the marine strategy area by 31 December 2020. The competent authority must integrate the measures devised under this regulation into the programme of measures, taking into account relevant measures required under any applicable EU provision, any other applicable international obligation and domestic legislation.
Contents of this text are divided into 4 main Parts as follows: (1) Preliminary (Title and commencement; Interpretation; Scope and application of these Regulations); (2) General duties (The competent authority; Functions of the competent authority); (3) Elements of the marine strategy (Assessment of marine waters; Determination of good environmental status; Environmental targets and indicators; Monitoring; Programme of measures; Exceptions; Identification of exceptional cases; Recommendations for Community action); (4) Procedural requirements (Notification and review; Public participation and information; Exchange of information, etc; Relationship with Water Framework Directive; Directions to, and assistance from, public authorities; Guidance).
Schedules 1-6 are also part of this publication (Qualitative descriptors for determining good environmental status; Competent authority; Structure, functions and processes of marine ecosystems; Indicative list of characteristics to be taken into account for setting environmental targets; Monitoring programmes; Programmes of measures).
The marine strategy must apply an ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities within the marine strategy area. The assessment must, in particular, include an economic and social analysis of the use of those waters and the cost of degradation of the marine environment.