S.L. 549.62 Art. 4Development of marine strategy.

(1) The marine strategy shall be developed and implemented in accordance with the plan of action set out in regulation 5(2), in order to:

(a) protect and preserve the marine environment, prevent its deterioration or, where practicable, restore marine ecosystems in areas where they have been adversely affected;

(b) prevent and reduce inputs in the marine environment, with a view to phasing out pollution as defined in regulation 2(1), so as to ensure that there are no significant impacts on or risks to marine biodiversity, marine ecosystems, human health or legitimate uses of the sea.

(2) The ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities shall be applied when developing and implementing the marine strategy, ensuring that the collective pressure of such activities is kept within levels compatible with the achievement of good environmental status and that the capacity of marine ecosystems to respond to human-induced changes is not compromised, while enabling the sustainable use of marine goods and services by present and future generations.