Regional marine plans under scrutiny
Sailors in the UK have until the 29 March 2019 to help develop proposals for managing the seas around Britain.
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is holding a third round of consultations as it draws up plans for the four areas – the north-east, north-west, south-east and south-west. It will examine the type of marine activities taking place in each of the regions, and how the marine environment is developed, protected and enhanced over the next 20 years.
Boaters can take part in an online survey to give their views on the draft proposals.
They include the growth of offshore energy production with the development of new technologies, such as tethered turbines and floating wind farms, to be focused on the north-east.
The south-west could see an increase in sustainable seabed mining and the expansion of marine aggregate extractions through the growth of port operations at Avonmouth and Falmouth. There are plans to fully restore seagrass beds in Devon and Cornwall, and improve access to the coast through harbour development, including at Lydney on the River Severn.
In the south-east, there are proposals to nurture sustainable fishing, shellfisheries and aquaculture in the Thames Estuary, especially at Leigh-on-sea.
There are also plans to improve water quality in rivers and around the UK coast.
The Government used a similar consultation process while drawing up its South Marine Plan, which covers the seas between Folkestone in Kent to the River Dart in Devon. That plan was adopted in July 2018.
The Government aims to adopt all of the four marine plans by 2021.
To take part in the consultation survey visit: www. gov.uk/government/ organisations/ marine management-organisation