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Governing the marine environment

Status: Open Opened: 16 Dec 2024 18 recommendations 10 conclusions 1 report

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 for evidence for more information … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
2nd Report - Governing the marine environment HC 551 5 Jun 2025 28 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
6 Recommendation 2nd Report - Governing the marine envir… Rejected

Update the outdated Marine Policy Statement at the earliest opportunity

The current Marine Policy Statement is outdated, not fit for purpose and no longer reflects Government policy or pressures on the marine environment. It therefore must be updated at the earliest opportunity. (Conclusion, Paragraph 33)

Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation to update the Marine Policy Statement, citing its resource-intensive nature and stating that efforts are focused on other strategic marine spatial planning and delivering a Sustainable Ocean Plan by 2027.
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7 Recommendation 2nd Report - Governing the marine envir… Rejected

Urge Ministers to issue revised Marine Policy Statement by January 2026 reflecting pressures

We urge Ministers to issue a revised Marine Policy Statement no later than January 2026. The updated statement should reflect the current and evolving pressures on the marine environment, clearly outline the Government’s priorities for marine usage, and set out by which decisions on the balance between marine exploitation and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation to issue a revised Marine Policy Statement by January 2026, citing that it would be too resource-intensive, parts are superseded by existing commitments (no new oil and gas licenses), and they are developing a Sustainable Ocean Plan by 2027 instead.
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17 Recommendation 2nd Report - Governing the marine envir… Rejected

Whole-site marine protection via HPMAs proven effective and critical for habitat recovery.

Marine habitats are interconnected, and the health of one area impacts the entire ecosystem. Scientific research has provided evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of a whole-site approach to marine protection, which is enabled in Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA). Therefore, it is critical for the Government to deliver whole-site marine … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation to designate more Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) or set a specific target, stating its priority is effective management of existing MPAs and that compensatory MPAs funded by the MRF have a different objective.
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18 Recommendation 2nd Report - Governing the marine envir… Rejected

Expand Highly Protected Marine Areas network to 10% of UK waters by 2030, publishing designation plan.

We urge the Government to expand the network of Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA) to 10% of UK waters by 2030 to meet 30by30 targets, based on the evidence of their effectiveness in enabling marine nature recovery. The Marine Recovery Fund should be used to assist the establishment of new … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation to expand HPMAs to 10% of UK waters by 2030 and publish a plan by January 2026, disagreeing with setting specific HPMA targets. They state that 40% of English waters are already MPAs, meeting the 30by30 target, and they are …
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Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
2 Apr 2025 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 View ↗
5 Mar 2025 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) View ↗
29 Jan 2025 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 View ↗
8 Jan 2025 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 View ↗

Who gave evidence

24 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alan Evans · Head of Marine Policy National Oceanography Centre 1
Andrew Bell · Director UNESCO Biosphere, North Devon 1
Benj Sykes · Head of Ørsted UK Ørsted UK 1
David Tomaney · Chief Data Officer UK Hydrographic Office 1
Dr Gemma Harper OBE · Chief Executive Joint Nature Conservation Committee 1
Dr Michaela Schratzberger · Science Director (Environment) Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) 1
Emma Hardy MP · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister … Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Gareth Cunningham · Director of Conservation and Policy Marine Conservation Society 1
Helen Mulvein OBE · Deputy Director for Ocean Policy, and Legal Couns… Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
Jacques Villemot · Marine Rewilding Lead Rewilding Britain 1
Jennifer Godwin · Chief Executive Officer Seabed User and Developer Group 1
Mark Russell · Chief Executive The Children’s Society 1
Mark Simmonds · Director of Policy The British Ports Association 1
Michelle Willis · CEO Marine Management Organisation 1
Mike Cohen · CEO National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) 1
Mike Rowe · Director for Marine and Fisheries Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Olivia Thomas · Head of Planning and Technical The Crown Estate 1
Professor Heather Koldewey · Lead, Bertarelli Foundation’s Marine Science Prog… Zoological Society of London 1
Professor Malgosia Fitzmaurice · Chair of Public International Law Queen Mary University of London 1
Professor Melanie Austen · Professor of Ocean and Society University of Plymouth 1
Professor Philippa Webb · Professor of Public International Law University of Oxford 1
Professor Richard Barnes · Professor of International Law University of Lincoln 1
Ronan O’Hara · Chief Executive Crown Estate Scotland 1
The Rt Hon. the Baroness Chapman of Darlington · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Latin Ame… Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1

Correspondence

6 letters
DateDirectionTitle
16 Oct 2025 To cttee Letter from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to …
9 Sep 2025 From cttee Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relati…
26 Jun 2025 To cttee Letter from the Minister for the Indo-Pacific, FCDO, responding to the 6 June 2…
6 Jun 2025 To cttee Joint letter from the Chairs of the Environmental Audit Committee and the Inter…
6 Mar 2025 To cttee Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment, Food & …
12 Feb 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair of the Committee to the Secretary of State for Environmen…