Bob Earll ‘The NCC have been remarkably silent on marine issues in their 7 year existence. It looks like one new NCC member – Mel Austen – has changed this. That’s progress. This report comes close on the heels of a host of other reports*. It makes one wonder quite what the role of NCC is in marine not least when there is little or no acknowledgement of the author(s) or the contributors to the report.’ *Marine Strategy consultation, 25 year plan & Sustainable Oceans (EAC).

NCC  ‘This paper sets a brief introduction to the considerable extent of the UK sphere of marine interest and its marine natural capital, and the very wide range of ecosystem services and benefits that derive from the marine environment. In the broad context of the 25 Year Environment Plan (25 YEP), the Natural Capital Committee (NCC) considers and makes recommendations on how the government can protect and grow marine natural capital for public benefit and the enabling mechanisms to do so. It considers areas in which the UK can increase its international leadership to improve marine natural capital and its benefits. Finally, it considers those areas in which we need to build more underlying understanding of marine natural capital. The terms of reference for the NCC relate to the environment in England, yet it would be difficult to ignore the wider UK marine environment given that its continuity enables the flow of marine natural capital around the UK. Although the NCC refers to and considers the whole of the UK in this paper, its recommendations are limited to the English marine environment and the area of jurisdiction of the UK marine environment that is not covered by the devolved administrations.’

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