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UK policy
Marine and Coastal Access Act
The Government's vision for the marine environment is for clean healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas. To help deliver this vision, the Marine and Coastal Access Act was enacted by Parliament on 12 November 2009.
Marine Strategy Framework Directive
The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) aims to achieve Good Environmental Status in Europe’s seas by 2020. Member States are required to produce a Marine Strategy for their waters, in collaboration with other Member States in their marine region.
Our Seas - a shared resource: High level Marine Objectives
On 20 April 2009, the UK Government, Welsh Assembly Government, Northern Ireland Executive and Scottish Government published their joint High Level Objectives for the UK marine area - Our seas – a shared resource: High Level Marine Objectives (PDF 815KB). This followed a consultation carried out in 2008
- The High Level Marine Objectives take forward the UK vision for the marine environment of “clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas.”
- They set out the outcomes that all UK Administrations are seeking to achieve in the UK marine area, as well as providing a vision of what success will look like.
- They will steer the development of policies to achieve sustainable development in the marine area and, more widely, will help inform and educate the public, business and voluntary sectors
- They will be used to underpin the development the joint Marine Policy Statement, which is provided for in the Marine and Coastal Access Act
- UK Administrations will be working together to develop the Marine Policy Statement, which is expected to be completed in 2011
Marine Planning
The Marine and Coastal Access Act provides for a new system of marine planning. This will firstly entail the preparation of a Marine Policy Statement, which will set out in one document our policies for the sustainable development of the UK marine area. The preparation of marine plans will follow, these will translate the policies of the Marine Policy Statement at local level. Both will guide and direct decisions in the marine environment.
Background to UK marine policy
The scientific evidence generated from our Science and Monitoring activities, such as the State of the Seas report, helps us to guide and advise in the development of policy for the management of the marine environment.
Below are a selection of important documents which have fed into policy.
"Seas of Change"- Consultation Paper
This is a follow-up consultation paper of the Government's first Marine Stewardship Report - "Safeguarding Our Seas" (1 May 2002), and was launched on 14 November 2002. Its aim was to help deliver our vision for the marine environment.
The paper covers areas including
- How to develop a practical application of the ecosystem-based approach
- How to involve stakeholders in the development of coastal and marine policy
- The scope and content of future reports
- The consultation procedure
A summary of responses was published on 16 October 2003 alongside the official Government response which was published on the 21 October 2003.
Marine Stewardship Report - "Safeguarding Our Seas"
The Government's first Marine Stewardship Report - "Safeguarding Our Seas" was published on 1 May 2002 and sets out our vision as "clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas".
Underpinned by the principles of sustainable development, integrated management and the conservation of biological diversity, the report outlines how we aim to adopt an ecosystem-based approach to marine management.
Past achievements and progress made are described whilst new ideas and initiatives are formulated in order to turn our vision into reality.
Cleaner Seas Report
This reports contains information prepared in 1998 but has since been superseded by the Marine Stewardship Report - "Safeguarding Our Seas" report. A copy is available on the National Archive website:
Government's Strategic Review on Diffuse Water Pollution from Agriculture
- Information relating to diffuse water pollution from agriculture and it's impacts on coastal and marine waters.
Obtaining copies of reports
Printed copies of all of these reports are available from Defra Publications. Please call 08459 556000 or email defra@iforcegroup.com for further details.
Page last modified:
12 November 2009
Page published: 01 March 2005