Part 4: Police Powers Chapter 5: Maritime Enforcement: English and Welsh Offences Section 84: Application of maritime enforcement powers: general
Section 30 of the 1996 Act limits the powers and privileges of constables to England and Wales and the adjacent United Kingdom waters. It provides that constables can exercise "maritime enforcement" powers on land and within the territorial waters (12 nautical miles as measured from the baseline (that is, the mean low water mark)). Section 30(6)(b) of the 1996 Act provides that section 30 is without prejudice to other enactments conferring powers on constables for particular purposes. This Chapter confers such powers.
	Subsection (1) provides that the police and others (generically termed "law enforcement officers") may exercise what are collectively termed "the maritime enforcement powers" (as defined in subsection (2)) for the purposes of preventing, detecting, investigating or prosecuting offences under the law of England and Wales in the maritime context and specifies the categories of ship upon which these powers can be exercised. These include certain categories of ship operating in "England and Wales waters", "international waters" and "foreign waters", these terms are defined in section 95(1).
	Subsection (3) defines "law enforcement officers" for the purpose of exercising the maritime enforcement powers. This includes provision at subsection (3)(g) for the Secretary of State to specify in regulations made by statutory instrument (subject to the negative procedure) other categories of person who may be allowed to exercise these powers.
	Subsection (6) limits the exercise of powers under this section by reference to section 85. This requires authority from the Secretary of State before the maritime enforcement powers are exercised in relation to a foreign ship in the territorial waters of England and Wales or international waters.