To ensure coherent cross-government leadership of the proposed Sea Use Framework by the end of 2026, the government should establish a ministerial board, to oversee the coordination of government policy on the use of UK waters. This ministerial board would complement or absorb, rather than replace, the existing MSPri Board by focusing specifically on the strategic coordination and delivery of the proposed Sea Use Framework. This “Sea Use Coordination Board” would provide the strategic direction necessary to align departmental objectives relating to marine planning, fisheries, conservation, energy and coastal communities. The Board should: • oversee and steer the development of the Sea Use Framework, ensuring it is genuinely cross-government and integrates environmental, fisheries, energy and spatial planning needs; • meet quarterly, with minutes and attendance lists published within two months of each meeting; • ensure structured engagement across all relevant Defra family bodies and agencies, including Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Natural England, the MMO, Cefas, and Defra’s fisheries, conservation and marine management teams, with a requirement to demonstrate collaborative input into the development of the Framework; and • produce, by April 2027, a public progress report on the Sea Use Framework, setting out how departments and delivery bodies have contributed to shared priorities and how conflicting objectives have been addressed. (Recommendation, Paragraph 56) 32