Collect marine sediment samples
You need a licence to collect marine sediment samples, provided the work:
- lasts less than twelve months
- costs less than £1 million
- happens in the area we licence
The marine area we license
We licence activities:
- in the Welsh sea - such as a marker buoy or a pontoon
- over the Welsh sea - something above or over-hanging the sea such as a bridge or cantilever
- under the Welsh sea - the ground under the sea and anything resting on it such as a wreck
The 'Welsh sea' reaches from average high tide (called 'mean high water springs') to the Welsh territorial limit.
Sample limits
The total sample volume across all samples must be no more than 4 cubic metres. The density of grab samples should not exceed 50 samples within any one hectare.
Sensitive species
If during sampling work you remove any sensitive species, you cannot carry out any more removals at that location or within 20 metres of it.
What we charge
This type of licence is called a band 1 licence. Applying for it costs £600. We will send you a request to pay when we receive your application.
When to apply
Submit your band 1 application at least two months before you want to begin the work.
We will make a decision within 6 weeks of receiving a complete application and the fee.
How to apply
Find out what information you need to prepare to submit an application to us.
Other permissions you might need from us
As well as applying for a band 1 marine licence, you might need other permissions from us, including:
These must be in place before you begin the work.