Governing the marine environment

Environmental Audit Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 16 Dec 2024 Parliament page
The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on governing the marine environment, which will focus on the UK's environmental obligations under marine treaties and how the UK is delivering on them, as well as the Government's strategy for marine planning and protection in its domestic waters. Read the call … Read more
18 Recommendations
10 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
6 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 16 events
16 Oct
2025
Correspondence
9 Sep
2025
Report published
9 Sep
2025
Correspondence
26 Jun
2025
Correspondence
6 Jun
2025
Correspondence
5 Jun
2025
Report published
2 Apr
2025
Oral evidence
2 Apr
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
6 Mar
2025
Correspondence
5 Mar
2025
Oral evidence
5 Mar
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
12 Feb
2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
2 Apr 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2
Emma Hardy MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Helen Mulvein OBE · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Michelle Willis · Marine Management Organisation Mike Rowe · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Olivia Thomas · The Crown Estate Ronan O’Hara · Crown Estate Scotland The Rt Hon. the Baroness Chapman of Darlington · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
5 Mar 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2
Andrew Bell · UNESCO Biosphere, North Devon Benj Sykes · Ørsted UK Jacques Villemot · Rewilding Britain Mark Russell · The Children’s Society Mark Simmonds · The British Ports Association Mike Cohen · National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO)
29 Jan 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2
Dr Gemma Harper OBE · Joint Nature Conservation Committee Gareth Cunningham · Marine Conservation Society Jennifer Godwin · Seabed User and Developer Group Professor Heather Koldewey · Zoological Society of London Professor Melanie Austen · University of Plymouth
8 Jan 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2
Alan Evans · National Oceanography Centre David Tomaney · UK Hydrographic Office Dr Michaela Schratzberger · Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) Professor Malgosia Fitzmaurice · Queen Mary University of London Professor Philippa Webb · University of Oxford Professor Richard Barnes · University of Lincoln
Title HC No. Published Items Response
2nd Report - Governing the marine environment HC 551 5 Jun 2025 28 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
13 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Designate a lead department for marine governance and policy coordination by January 2026.
Given the lack of coordination, we recommend that one department must act as the lead authority for marine governance and the coordination of marine policy. This department should be responsible for engaging with other departments and bodies, including The Crown … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating that Defra is the lead department for marine planning and has led the cross-government Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme. However, they reject the idea of a single department having ultimate responsibility for all balancing and prioritisation decisions, noting that marine plans and national policy statements guide such decisions.
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4 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Strengthen stakeholder engagement across all marine policy areas within Defra.
Engaging stakeholders in a meaningful way is essential to ensure that decisions are inclusive, transparent, and responsive to both environmental and societal needs. For engagement to be effective, it must occur through appropriate forums, begin early in the decision-making process, … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating that stakeholder engagement is highly valued and central to policy delivery, with significant engagement already undertaken. They commit to reviewing how they can further improve engagement across all levels.
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5 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Develop and publish a comprehensive stakeholder engagement framework for marine decision-making by January 2025.
We recommend that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) develops a comprehensive framework for engaging a diverse range of stakeholders, particularly coastal communities and underrepresented voices, early-on in marine decision-making and outline the responsible organisation for leading … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating that stakeholder engagement is highly valued and already central to policy delivery. They commit to reviewing how they can further improve engagement but do not commit to developing and publishing a comprehensive new framework with specified elements by the recommended deadline.
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9 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Ask DEFRA to clarify Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme objectives and timeline for outputs
We ask the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to clarify the objectives and planned timeline for outputs from the Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme and explain how it contributes to the Department’s aims for “clean, healthy, safe, productive … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted the recommendation, clarifying MSPri's objectives and current focus on guiding offshore wind development and outlining the next phase to improve colocation. However, it explicitly stated that updating the UK Marine Policy Statement, as recommended for the planning framework, is not considered a priority.
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11 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Call on DEFRA to publish assessment on impacts of marine spatial use changes
We call on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to publish an assessment on the impact of changes in marine spatial use on specific sectors. Affected sectors and associated stakeholders should be central to the assessment and … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged impacts of sea use on sectors, referenced existing assessments through UKMS Part One and OSPAR, and mentioned ongoing stakeholder engagement for SSEP and MSPri. It also highlighted a £360 million 'Fishing & Coastal Growth Fund' to support the fishing industry's transition, leading to a partial agreement.
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12 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Publish a plan for a just transition for marine sectors impacted by changes
The Government should publish a plan to secure a just transition for those affected by changes through targeted support, skills development, identification of long-term opportunities and associated funding. The support should reflect both traditional and emerging marine sectors, to ensure … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, committing to support the fishing industry's viability with the £360m Fishing & Coastal Growth Fund. However, it disagrees that a separate "plan for a just transition" is required, stating it will work directly with the industry instead.
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13 Conclusion Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Government failure to manage Marine Protected Area network allows damaging activities
We were concerned by Government failure to effectively manage gaps in the network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Deficient management and gaps in the network are allowing damaging activities to take place within MPA boundaries. (Conclusion, Paragraph 61) Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating it is taking action to prevent damaging activities within MPAs. They highlight that 40% of English seas are MPAs, 60% have fishing byelaws, and a consultation is underway to ban bottom trawling in 41 more MPAs, though they will not implement whole-site bans.
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14 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Call on Government to ban seabed damaging practices within offshore Marine Protected Areas
We call on the Government to ban seabed damaging practices, such as bottom trawling, dredging and mining for aggregates, within offshore Marine Protected Area boundaries. (Recommendation, Paragraph 62)
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating it already has byelaws in 60% of MPAs and commenced consultation to ban bottom trawling in an additional 41 MPAs. However, it rejects whole-site bans, instead opting for targeted restrictions based on specific features, and manages other activities through licensing.
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19 Conclusion Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Marine Protected Areas' status must be maintained, not compromised by offshore energy development.
Nature recovery and restoration is a long-term process. It is of utmost importance that sites dedicated for marine protection maintain their status to allow habitats and ecosystems to recover and be effectively protected. 52 Whilst the expansion of offshore renewable … Read more
Government Response
Defra recognizes the role that maintaining effective MPAs plays in conservation goals, and around 40% of waters are already designated as MPAs. The government disagrees with setting a specific target for HPMAs in Secretary of State waters but commits to designating new or extending existing MPAs to compensate for offshore wind development.
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20 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Maintain Marine Protected Area status and expand network to cover vulnerable sites.
We call on the Government to maintain the status of designated Marine Protected Areas and ensure the expansion of the MPA network to cover vulnerable sites of comparable biodiversity to maximise its effectiveness. (Recommendation, Paragraph 77)
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating that 40% of English waters are already designated as MPAs, meeting the 30by30 target, and their priority is effective management. They are reviewing the MPA network and will consider the role of further HPMAs, but disagree with setting specific HPMA targets.
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22 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Direct Marine Recovery Fund compensatory measures to priority nature restoration initiatives.
We recommend that compensatory measures through the Marine Recovery Fund (MRF) should be directed to priority areas, particularly nature restoration initiatives, to ensure long-term nature recovery. (Recommendation, Paragraph 79) International Marine Treaties and Global Marine Protection Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating the Marine Recovery Fund (MRF) will deliver strategic compensatory measures for offshore wind impacts, and Defra is consulting on reforms to these measures via a Statutory Instrument and guidance.
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24 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Set clear timeline for introducing legislation to ratify Global Oceans Treaty by September 2025.
We urge the Government to set a clear timeline for introducing the necessary primary legislation to ratify the Global Oceans / High Seas Treaty to send a clear signal of prioritising global marine protection. The timeline for ratifying this should … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating it is committed to ratifying the BBNJ Agreement and will introduce the necessary legislation by the end of the year. This timeline is later than the committee's requested ratification by 20 September 2025 and it does not explicitly commit to publishing a timeline within a month.
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26 Recommendation Accepted in Part
2nd Report - Governing the marine …
Require Government to publish its plan for aligning policies with the ITLOS marine pollution opinion.
We call on the Government to set out how it will align its policies with the advisory opinion issued by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas, including recognising greenhouse gas emissions as marine pollution and implementing measures … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating it carefully considers the Tribunal’s Opinion and details ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including an 81% target by 2035 and the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy. It does not commit to a specific plan for aligning policies with the ITLOS opinion or publishing its position within two months.
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Government Response AI assessment · 28 of 18 classified
Accepted 5
Accepted in Part 13
Acknowledged 5
Deferred 1
Rejected 4
Total 18 recs + 10 conclusions
Correspondence 6 letters
16 Oct 2025 To committee Letter from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to the Government response to the Governing the Marine Environment report
Parliament page
9 Sep 2025 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to Governing the Marine Environment: Government Response, 9 September 2025
Parliament page
26 Jun 2025 To committee Letter from the Minister for the Indo-Pacific, FCDO, responding to the 6 June 2025 joint EAC and IDC letter to the Prime Minister relating to protection of the marine environment, dated 19 June 2025
Parliament page
6 Jun 2025 To committee Joint letter from the Chairs of the Environmental Audit Committee and the International Development Committee to the Prime Minister, relating to protection of the marine environment, dated 6 June 2025
Parliament page
6 Mar 2025 To committee Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, responding to the Committee's letter relating to Government proposals for consenting processes for offshore infrastructure projects, dated 3 March 2025
Parliament page
12 Feb 2025 To committee Letter from the Chair of the Committee to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, relating to Government proposals for consenting processes for offshore infrastructure projects, dated 11 February 2025
Parliament page