The group said that, as a world leader for marine renewables, the UK needs clear goals and objectives for sustainable development and climate change mitigation, something it says is "sadly lacking" in the proposed draft.

Steph Merry, Head of Marine at the REA, said: “This draft displays a worrying absence of tangible goals for progression of marine renewable energy. This is coupled with the fear that disjointed administration, spread across BERR, Defra and now the Marine Management Organisation will lead to fragmented polices and weaken the UK’s lead in marine renewable energy.”

The UK holds 50% of Europe’s wave energy resources, and 35% of its tidal resource. Despite languishing near the bottom of the EU renewables league table, Britain is the acknowledged world leader for marine renewables.

“We can’t afford to jeopardise this lead,” continues Steph Merry. “The Marine Bill was intended to help us better manage and protect the marine environment. However it contains proposals that remove the duty to properly consult before making decisions on Marine Conservation Zones, which do not herald the keystone to considered and quality decision management.”

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