The ten IFCA Districts cover English coastal waters out to 6 nautical miles from Territorial Baselines.
Although autonomous, all IFCAs have a shared 'vision' to "lead, champion and manage a sustainable marine environment and inshore fisheries, by successfully securing the right balance between social, environmental and economic benefits to ensure healthy seas, sustainable fisheries and a viable industry".
On each IFCA a member is also appointed from Natural England, the Marine Management Organisation and the Environment Agency.
(2) In performing its duty under subsection (1), the authority for an IFC district must: (a) seek to ensure that the exploitation of sea fisheries resources is carried out in a sustainable way, (b) seek to balance the social and economic benefits of exploiting the sea fisheries resources of the district with the need to protect the marine environment from, or to promote its recovery from, the effects of such exploitation, (c) take any other steps which in the authority's opinion are necessary or expedient for the purpose of making a contribution to the achievement of sustainable development, and (d) seek to balance the different needs of persons engaged in the exploitation of sea fisheries resources in the district Under s.154 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 IFCAs must further the conservation objectives of marine conservation zones.
The IFCAs also operate research vessels, deploying side scan sonar and underwater cameras to inform their management.