Part 2: Legislative and executive competence: further provision Chapter 15: Marine licensing and conservation Section 47: Marine conservation zones
This section appoints the Welsh Ministers as appropriate authority in the Welsh offshore region allowing them to designate areas as marine conservation zones (MCZ) in that region pursuant to Part 5 (Nature Conservation) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (the 2009 Act).
	The Welsh offshore region is defined in section 322(1) of the 2009 Act.
	Subsection (2)(b) states that the Welsh Ministers may not designate an MCZ that includes any part of the Welsh offshore region without agreement from the Secretary of State. This section does not alter the Welsh Ministers’ existing competence in the 2009 Act to designate MCZs in the Welsh inshore region without agreement from the Secretary of State. Therefore in practice where an MCZ extends to both the Welsh inshore and Welsh offshore regions the Secretary of State’s agreement is required for those parts of that MCZ within the Welsh Offshore region only.
	While both these sections extend the exercise of Welsh Ministerial functions from Wales (which includes the territorial sea) to the Welsh offshore region, exceptionally,, section 53 extends functions exercisable in relation to Welsh fishing boats beyond the seaward limit of the Welsh zone.