Ireland's lack of an integrated management policy for the coastal environment is due to be examined as part of a new review by the Department of Marine and Natural Resources. However, the 2006 Strategic Infrastructure Act poses an enormous threat to the island's fragile seaboard, a conference on coastal resources heard at University College Cork yesterday.
Tenders are being sought for a consultancy study that will review existing foreshore legislation, according to Pat Corcoran of the Department of Marine and Natural Resources. However, coastal zone management is an integral part of the terms of reference, he told the conference.
Several speakers were scathingly critical of a 14-year delay in implementing a previous, similar initiative.
Karin Dubsky of Coastwatch noted that a national conference on the issue in 1993 had attracted over 4,700 submissions, and an inter-departmental committee had been established the following year. The commitment was never followed through, she said.
"Now, here we are in 2007 and we still don't have coastal zone management, at a time of increased pressure and major threats to biodiversity."
And while planning developments on land could be appealed to An Bord Pleanála, there was no such recourse to action over unsustainable activities in inshore waters and at sea, she said.
"One can make a submission to the Minister, which he may or may not read, but there is no appeals mechanism - the only option is the High Court."
Cmdr Mark Mellett of the Naval Service said that a system of ocean governance that took account of rich marine resources was a prerequisite in terms of coastal planning. States needed to know what resources they had, and effective monitoring was also required using advanced technology, he said.
