Marine licence: Dredging 

RYA lobbying to ensure that the new requirement to obtain a marine licence for maintenance dredging is proportionate.

The RYA keeps a watching brief on the marine licensing regimes administered by the Marine Management Organisation in England, the Department of Environment Northern Ireland, Marine Scotland and the Welsh Government.

The RYA sought to achieve

• A fair and proportionate licensing regime
• Low risk activities either exempted or fast-tracked

The RYA has successfully

• Gained exemptions from the licence in England for small scale, low impact/risk activities typically carried out by clubs. Thereby helping to reduce the regulatory and financial burden on clubs.
• Secured Ministerial assurances in England during the passage of the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009) that regulatory controls would be applied ‘proportionately to the risk and impact of the marine activity.’
• Ensured new fee bands with lower fees for small scale activities.

RYA position

• The marine licence system for maintenance/navigational dredging should be fair and proportionate, in terms of both the regulatory and financial burdens on clubs and training centres. 
• Where appropriate small scale activities should be exempted from the rigours of the licensing systems and its associated costs.