Marine Offences Act

From Freeradio

The Marine Offences Act of 1967 effectively criminalised Offshore pirate radio.

Under the MOA, it became an offence for any British national to supply items (eg food, fuel, records, technical equipment) to a pirate radio ship, to work on a pirate radio ship, to advertise on an offshore pirate station, or to promote in any way (including the publication of frequencies or programme listings of) an offshore pirate station.

The Marine Offences Act became law on 14th August 1967.

Effects of the MOA

By midnight of the 14th August 1967, all the UK-based offshore pirates except Radio Caroline had left the airwaves.

The legislation was passed by a Labour government, the prime minister at the time was Harold Wilson. This was not forgotten by Radio Caroline , who in 1970 - broadcasting via the Radio Nordzee International ship Mebo II - urged listeners to vote Conservative. Many did, and the Labour government fell and was replaced by a Conservative government that year. Any illusions that the Conservatives would repeal the MOA were soon dashed, however, and the MOA remains in force to this day.

In 1985, the DTI launched Eurosiege '85 to blockade the offshore pirates Radio Caroline and Laser 558 - threatening anyone who ran the blockade with prosecution under the MOA.

Dutch legislation

The Netherlands passed legislation very similar to the MOA on 19th August, 1974.

This resulted in the closedown of the Dutch offshore pirates Radio Veronica (which later gained a licence to broadcast legally) and Radio Nordzee International.

Links

Article on August 14th 1967, on the Radio Caroline website [1]