ENGLISH NATURE - Coasts and Seas

Introduction

Our coasts and seas - making space for people, industry and wildlife

Please click on the report (left) to see our Maritime Strategy “Our coasts and seas- making space for people, industry and wildlife”

Background

Over the past two years we have embarked on a process of dialogue and participation with a wide range of individuals and organisations analysing the key issues facing our marine and coastal environments. We have found out what matters to them, and how they think we should take forward our maritime strategy. We have held workshops and meetings and carried out a web-based survey (English Nature Research Report 587). This clearly showed that people care about our marine and coastal environment and want to be involved in protecting it. In November 2003 we produced an update, Developing English Nature's Maritime Strategy - State of Nature one year on, to keep people informed of the progress we had made, whilst we continued to develop the themes. Following the consultation document Our coasts and seas- A 21st century agenda for their recovery, conservation and sustainable use we have now finalised our Maritime Strategy Our coasts and seas - making space for people, industry and wildlife.

A case for action

'Better planning for new development will reduce the need for hard defences such as these at Clacton Chris Gibson/English Nature

As part of an island nation, England is fortunate to have such a rich maritime heritage. We all depend on the health of our coasts and seas for a better quality of life. However, despite a number of initiatives aimed at improving coastal and marine management, the quality of our coasts and seas continue to decline. English Nature's Maritime State of Nature Report getting onto an even keel highlights fisheries, water quality and coastal development and management as priority issues for our coasts and seas. English Nature has identified the need to use the ecosystem approach for improved stewardship of the maritime environment (English Nature Research Report 538).

Sustainable use of our coasts and seas - using the ecosystem approach to provide a better future for people, industry and wildlife

Puffin Chris Gibson/English Nature English Nature has developed its maritime strategy to help implement Government’s stewardship vision set out in ‘Safeguarding our Seas’ and address some of the issues raised in Defra’s recent report ‘Charting Progress: An Integrated Assessment of the State of UK Seas’.

This strategy highlights the need for action across a range of issues from the loss of coastal habitats due to coastal squeeze to the damage to our marine ecosystem caused by over-exploitation of fisheries. We highlight the need to adapt to coastal change by completing the shift from coastal defence to coastal management, and advocate the establishment of a marine spatial planning system and a coherent network of Marine Protected Areas. We set out actions to achieve these aims using different spatial scales ranging from local through regional to national and international. We have adopted this approach because ecosystems and systems of governance work at a range of spatial scales and because this approach relates to how most people view and use our coasts and seas.

Three key priorities for action highlighted in our Maritime Strategy are;

1.	The need for new legislation to take forward a network of Marine Protected Areas that represents all habitats and species. Such a network will include some areas that are highly protected to stop all damaging commercial and recreational activities. The network of Marine Protected Areas will contribute to the recovery and protection of the whole marine ecosystem which will bring multiple benefits. It will allow exploited species to recover which can lead to bigger fish catches; a healthier environment that is more resilient to change; and greater protection to both common and rare species. To deliver these benefits, at least 20-30% of all marine habitats will need to have strict protection from damaging impacts. Elsewhere, improved sustainable management of on-going activities will also be required.

2.	Moving from coastal defence to coastal management. Our coasts are constantly changing. We need more innovative management working with coastal processes to create the space for coastal habitats and geodiversity. This will allow coastal habitats and their wildlife to adapt and move offering greater protection, conservation and opportunities for sustainable tourism.

3.	Marine spatial planning. As the sea becomes increasingly congested there is a growing need to balance often conflicting marine uses while protecting and managing the marine environment. Currently there is no overview of new applications for potentially harmful activities in our seas. Individually each may not be harmful but together there can be problems. This would be addressed by co-ordinated and effective spatial planning.