Permit View on Statement 1: Decision-making

1. Permit View on Statement 1: Decision-making • UK Govt policy objectives include: overarching goal of a better quality of life for all through the sustainable development of the marine environment. • Decisions made within frameworks of: • Domestic controls, EU law and International obligations • Protection of the marine environment • Decision-making is overcomplicated, complex, confusing ! • Different industries controlled in different ways under different legislation, Developed piecemeal of number of years • UK Govt committed to better regulation includes legislative and administrative simplification • Marine Bill, reform of licensing, regulators work together towards more holistic long term approach, transparent, faster & more efficient licensing. • Decision-making & taking • 10 yrs from project-initiative to permit ! Atypical • Engaging stakeholders and regulators

2. Permit View on Statement 2: Monitoring • Environmental monitoring is vital • Test conclusions and predictions made in ES and establish actual impacts of a project • Ensure compliance with licence conditions • There is a Danger! • Monitoring ‘done for the sake of it’ • Standard list of monitoring • Monitoring needs: • Clear purpose, case by case, appropriate • Targeted, development of testable hypothesis and a sampling design to test them. • Review and Feedback • Information gained should be used to assess and modify management actions • Inform future management decisions • Project operations and licence review, relax or remove conditions or strengthen them