A range of marine stakeholders around the UK give a 'real life' perspective by telling their own stories about the challenges they face and how a Marine Act could help. Read the highlights below.

Keith Hiscock
Marine Biologist, The Marine Biological Association (filmed at Lundy Marine Nature Reserve)
"We need Highly Protected Marine Reserves to represent a wide range of locations around the whole geographical area of the UK. They provide an opportunity for conservation and for recreation and for science - it's just another use of the sea. The Marine Bill gives us an opportunity to balance all of those different activities." More

Dan Meredith
Energy Policy Manager, E.ON UK (filmed at Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm, Great Yarmouth)
"Out of the 10 years that this project took to complete and build, nine of those years was putting the planning process together, getting the consents, getting the licenses, it only really took a year to build. The main thing that E-on UK strongly want out of the Marine Bill is a planning and consenting and licensing process that dovetails, that integrates with the onshore process." More

David Morton
Recreational Sea Angler, Hartlepool
"Something needs to be done to improve the state of our seas. The Marine Bill should improve the lot for all users, be it the bird watchers, the anglers and the commercial fishermen, they have all got to benefit in the long run - if there are more fish in the sea, there's more fish in the sea for everyone." More

Allan Bird and Richard Haward
Oyster Fisherman, West Mersea, Essex
"Man just puts huge pressures on the Blackwater Estuary and I'm not against that, in fact I love the estuary and I love to see people on it, but we do see difficulties on the creek and we see things which we haven't seen before." More

Natasha Barker
Severn Estuary Partnership Officer, Severn Estuary
"Two countries will need to work together to make the Marine Bill work for the Severn Estuary. This is just one estuary with one ecosystem, the wildlife knows no boundaries, and so it's up to us to make sure we work closely together." More

Tom Brock
CEO Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick, Scotland
"Nobody wants the ship to ship transfer, there's been a huge public reaction and certainly a Marine Act that would help to safeguard this area would be warmly welcomed by local people." More

Philip Hughes, Friends of Cardigan Bay; Steve Hartley, Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre, Wales
"We have a huge diversity of habitats and interests in Cardigan Bay to satisfy the needs of a whole variety of people that come here just for that. We need good solid laws that will protect the wildlife and the environment." More

David Knott
Safety & Environmental Manager, Port of Belfast, Northern Ireland
"One of the issues that we face is the potential conflict between land based planning and marine planning. A Marine Bill will give us a strategic framework within which we can work." More

More case studies from Northern Ireland.