Jobs, habitats and wildlife at risk
The UK Marine and Coastal Access Act will affect thousands of people who work or live around our seas. Watch this short film and find out their views.
Wildlife
Our seas are in a state of crisis, with many key species in decline in UK waters. These include basking sharks, leatherback turtles, harbour porpoises, and long-snouted seahorses.
Livelihoods
Many people rely on healthy, well-managed seas – from fishermen to tourist operators, and from oyster catchers to whale watchers. Our seas are also crucial for industries such as shipping, aggregate dredging and renewable energy.
Habitats
Around the UK’s 20,000km of coastline are marine habitats ranging from sheltered lagoons and coves, deep sea lochs and muddy estuaries to wave-lashed rocky coasts and deep waters off the edge of the continental shelf.
Climate change
Increased carbon emissions are already having a dramatic effect on our seas. Our oceans have always been crucial to regulating our climate and absorbing excess CO2. The marine bill offers an opportunity to help combat climate change by using the sea for production of clean, renewable energies.