Marine Strategy Part One: UK Updated Assessment and Good Environmental Status

Overview

Defra, the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government are seeking views on the UK’s updated assessment of the progress made towards achieving Good Environmental Status for UK Seas and the proposed objectives, targets and indicators that will be used for the next 6 year cycle.  

The consultation covers the assessment of progress made towards achieving the targets set for GES in the Marine Strategy part 1 in 2012. These relate to biological diversity, non-indigenous species, commercially exploited fish and shellfish, food webs, human-induced eutrophication, sea floor integrity, hydrographical conditions, contaminants, contaminants in fish and other seafood, marine litter and introduction of energy (including underwater noise). 

It also sets out proposals for updated high level objectives, targets and operational targets to be used for 2018 to 2024. These build on those set in 2012 and take account of the assessment findings and developments toward achieving coordinated targets, indicators and thresholds nationally, in the European Union and in the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the North East Atlantic.  

This consultation covers the updated UK Marine Strategy Part 1 only. It does not cover the UK’s marine monitoring programme set out in the Marine Strategy Part Two:

 www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/341146/msfd-part-2-final.pdf, or the UK’s programme of measures set out in the Marine Strategy Part Three: 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486623/marine-strategy-part3-programme-of-measures.pdf . 

Updates to these will be made in 2020 and 2021 respectively. 

If you would like to keep in contact with us to express interest in this, or any other Defra consultation, please give us your details through the link below

https://gov.smartwebportal.co.uk/defra/public/webform.asp?id=108&id2=1D06F7