Citation, commencement, extent and interpretation

1.-(1) This Order may be cited as the Tollesbury and Mersea (Blackwater) Fishery Order 2019 and comes into force on 14th July 2019.

(2) It extends to England and Wales.

(3) In this Order-

"the fishery" means the area of the Blackwater River in the county of Essex described in the Schedule;

"the Grantee" means the Tollesbury and Mersea Native Oyster Fishery Company Limited, whose company number is 00011066 and whose registered office is 15 High Street, West Mersea, Colchester, Essex, CO5 8QA;

"the management plan" means the plan marked "Tollesbury and Mersea (Blackwater) Fishery Order 2019 management plan" and deposited with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as updated from time to time in accordance with article 6.

Right of several fishery

2.  The Secretary of State confers on the Grantee the right of several fishery for-

(a)clams of the species Mercenaria mercenaria,

(b)mussels of the species Mytilus edulis, and

(c)oysters of the species Crassostrea gigas and Ostrea edulis,

within the limits of the fishery for a period of 20 years beginning with 14th July 2019.

Marking out the limits of the fishery

3.  The Grantee must mark out the limits of the fishery and maintain those marks in position and in good repair.

Management of the fishery

4.  The Grantee must manage the fishery in accordance with the management plan.

Publication of the management plan and updates to it

5.  The Grantee must-

(a)publish the management plan on its website(5), and

(b)make that plan available for inspection at its registered office.

Review and update of the management plan

6.-(1) The Grantee must review and, if necessary, update the management plan-

(a)for the first time, by 14th July 2020, and

(b)at least once a year thereafter.

(2) The Grantee must, at least 4 weeks before making any update to the management plan-

(a)notify the interested parties in writing of the proposed updates, and

(b)publish the proposed updates.

(3) The Grantee must, before making any update to the management plan, take account of any written representations it receives.

(4) In paragraph (2)(a), "the interested parties" means-

(a)the Secretary of State,

(b)Natural England, and

(c)any person likely to be affected by the management plan as updated.

Article 1(3)

SCHEDULEArea of the fishery

1.-(1) The area is identifiable by virtue of the boundary line plotted by sequentially joining each of the points having the co-ordinates of latitude and longitude according to the World Geodetic System 1984(6) ("a set of co-ordinates") specified in columns 2 and 3 of the table which correspond to the relevant entry in column 1.

(2) For the purpose of identifying the fishery, all lines between a point identified by a set of co-ordinates are straight, other than in respect of the lines between a set of co-ordinates identified as-

(a)C and D,

(b)E and F,

(c)G and H,

(d)I and J,

(e)K and L,

(f)M and A,

where the line is the contour of the lowest astronomical tide.

(3) In sub-paragraph (2), "lowest astronomical tide" means the lowest tide level which can be predicted to occur under average meteorological conditions and under any combination of astronomical conditions.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order grants the Tollesbury and Mersea Native Oyster Fishery Company Limited ("the Grantee") a right of several fishery. This is the exclusive right to deposit, propagate, dredge, fish for and take clams, mussels and oysters in the River Blackwater for the period of 20 years beginning with 14th July 2019.

The area in respect of which the right is conferred lies within the Blackwater River in the county of Essex, the boundary line of which is determined by joining each of the sequential sets of co-ordinates set out in the Schedule. The area is shown (for illustrative purposes only) delineated on the map below. The area comprises approximately 10.93 square kilometres.

Article 4 requires the Grantee to manage the fishery in accordance with the management plan as defined in article 1(3). Article 6 provides for the periodic review of the management plan. The management plan is available for inspection at the registered office of the Grantee (15 High Street, West Mersea, Colchester, Essex, CO5 8QA), and eletronically ( http://merseanativeoysters.co.uk/ ).

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.