This Law, consisting of 13 articles establishes the general principles and framework for the management of the maritime areas of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), including the bases of the legal regime for the management of maritime areas and the institutional framework between the coordinating body and the competent authorities. The objectives of the maritime areas management are: 1) Ensure that the exploration and exploitation of these areas is consistent with the general national interest and the long-term development interests of the MSAR; 2) Promote economic sustainable development; 3) Protect the ecological environment of marine areas; 4) Strengthen the capacity to prevent and minimize marine disaster impacts; 5) Increase the quality and efficiency of exploration and exploitation of maritime areas; 6) Promote the development of the maritime economy. For environmental protection of maritime areas, it is under the responsibility of the MSAR Government to: 1) Define environmental protection measures in accordance with the general environmental protection plan for the national marine environment; 2) Define criteria for managing the quality of the marine environment according to the criteria of the national maritime environment of the MSAR maritime areas; 3) Carry out environmental monitoring and evaluation of the maritime areas and prepare related reports; 4) Develop contingency plans, prevention and control on marine pollution; 5) Establish marine natural reserves and adopt effective measures for their protection and management, according to the needs of marine ecosystem protection; 6) Establish ecosystem monitoring networks; 7) Promote regional cooperation in the fields of environmental protection of maritime areas, prevention and control of marine disasters and the treatment of unforeseen incidents.
China, Macao SAR · 2018-07-16