The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has launched a new consultation on its updated UK marine strategy and the targets to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status (GES) in UK seas.
Together with the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government, DEFRA is 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.
Photo: Cornwall, Elsentor
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:
Defra wants views in particular, on whether the Department has:
- accurately assessed the state of UK marine waters
- identified the right criteria to monitor progress towards GES
- proposed effective targets to achieve and maintain GES for UK seas
- The proposed objectives, targets and indicators will be used for the next 6 years.
Deadline to submit responses to the consultation is 11:45pm on 20 June 2019 – click here to access the online consultation website.
Click here to download the consultation document
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