Mr. Tom Woolley:

My understanding from my discussions with the marine environment section in our Department is the term "marine planning areas", MPAs, does not have specific statutory or legislative standing yet. The term will be codified under the incoming legislation. We have not used the term MPAs in the national marine planning framework for that reason and instead we have chosen the term "protected marine sites" to capture the designations the Chairman mentioned and to bring them together under the plan. The Chairman will see they are referenced both in the text and on the map.

That is my understanding. As Mr. McCabe has suggested, it would be worthwhile having our marine environment colleagues give more information on the question.