Allonby Bay Highly Protected Marine Area Anchoring Byelaw 2025
MMO byelaw prohibiting anchoring within the Allonby Bay Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA). This HPMA covers 28 km2 of inshore waters off the north-western shore of Cumbria.
Documents
Details
This byelaw was made by the Marine Management Organisation and will come into force on 30 July 2026.
The purpose of the byelaw is to protect and allow full recovery of all species and habitats and associated ecosystem processes within the Allonby Bay HPMA, from the shore to seabed, sea surface and water column.
More information on this site and England’s HPMAs from the Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs.
A signed copy of the byelaw will be provided for inspection by emailing conservation@marinemanagement.org.uk
Safety at sea
Safety of life at sea will always come first. The provisions in section 141(1)(e) and (f) and section 141(2) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 remain in force and are not amended by the proposed byelaw. These provide that anchoring can take place within the area prohibited by the proposed byelaw in the event that the act of anchoring:
- 141(1)(e) was necessary for the purpose of securing the safety of any vessel, aircraft or marine installation;
- 141(1)(f) was done for the purpose of saving life.
Please note that subsection (1)(e) does not apply where the necessity was due to the fault of the person or of some other person acting under the person’s direction or control.