To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on (i) the Towards an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Strategy for Northern Ireland 2006 - 2026; and (ii) the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Strategy for Northern Ireland.

The Integrated Coastal Zone Management Strategy for Northern Ireland is the finalised strategy that was launched in June 2006. This a non-statutory document and many of the objectives contained within it have now been implemented by the relevant Departments.

The principles of integrated coastal zone management, in particular the consideration of land sea interactions, are embedded throughout strategies and policies such as the draft Marine Plan for Northern Ireland, the Strategic Planning Policy Statement, River Basin Management Plans, and the Strategy for Marine Protected Areas in the Northern Ireland inshore region. The Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 provided the legislation required to develop a Marine Protected Area network and a Marine Plan for Northern Ireland.

Climate change and coastal erosion was identified in the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Strategy as one of the main issues affecting the coastal area. The Coastal Forum is providing a mechanism for my Department, the Department for Infrastructure, coastal councils and the National Trust to work collaboratively on this issue and good progress has been made in gathering the evidence that is needed to understand scale and nature of the issue. A policy workshop was held recently to initiate the process of developing future policy for managing coastal change.