Marine Strategy Part One: UK updated assessment and Good Environmental Status Consultation document

Topic and purpose of this consultation 

The UK Government and devolved governments have ambitious goals to restore and recover our seas, whilst driving green growth and fostering a sustainable ocean economy. The UK Marine Strategy Regulations 2010 (MSR) require the UK Government and devolved governments to take the necessary measures to achieve or maintain good environmental status (hereafter referred to as GES) by the development and implementation of a UK Marine Strategy (hereafter referred to as the UKMS).   

This consultation presents the third scheduled update of the UK Marine Strategy Part One: 

1. An updated assessment of the state of UK seas and the progress made since 2019 towards achieving and maintaining GES.  

2. Our determination of GES for UK waters (referred to here as ‘overarching targets’ for GES, previously referred to high-level objectives) for the next assessment cycle. 

3. The proposed criteria, environmental targets and indicators we will use for the next assessment cycle. 

Audience 

Whilst some of the matters presented here are about the scientific and technical assessment of the state of our seas, we are also addressing a broad range of policies associated with the marine environment and the achievement of our shared vision for ‘clean, safe, healthy, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas’. It may therefore be of interest to many stakeholders, and anyone may respond to the consultation.  

It has direct relevance to: 

• groups or individuals who use the sea for whatever purpose, or have an interest in it; 

• business users of the sea and those businesses that have an impact on the sea; 

• national and local interest groups such as environmental and recreational non-governmental organisations and industry federations; and 

• the OSPAR Commission and its contracting parties.