The Belgian part of the North Sea is one of the most used seas of the world. Human activities at sea should therefore be spatially well planned and for this a Marine Spatial Planning (MRP) exists. Since many activities at sea can more or less be taxing to the marine environment, a regulation is needed in order to know what is allowed and what is not subject to the necessary environmental licences (or authorizations) and under what conditions. The appropriate assessment is needed if there are possible effects on the Natura 2000 sites (Birds and Habitats Directive Areas).
The Marine Environment Act from1999 employs a number of environmental principles that are determinative for the MRP as well as for licensing any activity at sea:
• preventive action: prevent occurrence of environmental damage and no "end of pipe" solution;
• the precautionary principle: keep in mind that there may be a possible environmental damage, even if no evidence or causal link exists to the effect;
• the principle of the polluter pays;
• the principle of sustainable management;
• the principle of ecosystem approach.
Regulation is one thing, but it must also be ensured that the regulation gets respected; hence the need for supervision and enforcement. There must be preparedness to take active steps for pollution control in case of disasters.