The Irish Marine Federation (IMF) is to push for a national maritime policy at next week's Allianz Boat Show at the RDS. It is almost 12 months since the IMF called for its introduction but there is almost no progress to report. The European Union has requested each coastal member state to implement a national marine policy but so far Ireland has failed to move on the issue. In the UK they have established the National Maritime Agency which includes the Coast Guard service. They have also managed to involve the devolved Governments of Scotland and Wales fully into the planning and operation of an integrated coastal zone management policy. In Ireland we have still not found a final home for the Foreshore Act 1933 although it would seem to be heading for the Department of the Environment in Wexford for the end of the 2nd quarter of 2009. The long promised review of this act has still not taken place in spite of promises that full consultation would take place with all the interested parties and stake holders.
The Marine Institute developed a high level strategic plan to bring together all the stake holders, the County Councils, Semi State agencies and Government Departments in order to develop a National Marine Policy. This plan has now lain dormant for over two years for the lack of a lead agency/Government Department to take responsibility for this sector.
If Ireland is going to take best advantage of its coastline and inland waterways a system of maritime spatial planning needs to be in place. The Irish Marine Federation is concerned that unless a national maritime plan embracing fully integrated coastal zone management is implemented Irish marine leisure tourism infrastructure will continue to lag behind that of our European neighbours.
Ireland, an island nation with over 9,000 kilometres of coastline and almost 1,000 kilometres of interconnected navigable waterways, is a country with a vast expanse of coastline and miles of unexploited and underutilised natural resources. Ireland has some of the best coastal cruising grounds in Europe but with little or no facilities. Many rural coastal communities, currently suffering as a result of the decline of the fishing industry, could benefit from the development of marine leisure tourism infrastructure. Yet the current Tourism National Development Plan specifically bars marina development from any state aids.
The marine leisure industry in Ireland is worth well in excess of €700 million per annum, €430 million of this from Marine Leisure Tourism alone. The Marine Leisure Industry has the capacity to grow and generate sustainable jobs but as it is currently constricted by impediments to growth.
Almost every developed maritime nation has a national marine policy that evaluates the maritime potential and considers economic development, the socio-economic aspects of the asset and the conservation of the natural resource in terms of sustainable development. In Ireland there is no such policy in place to ensure that our maritime national resources are nurtured and developed for the benefit of the population as a whole. A system of Marine Spatial Planning needs to be introduced which will consider all the sectors, evaluate their contribution to the economy and also the wider socio-economic impact that development can have on coastal communities.
Given the current economic climate Ireland needs to evaluate all of its assets in order to derive the most value both in terms of economic and sustainability.
