The Value of Restored UK Seas: WWF ‘As an island nation, the UK’s seas are part of our identify and our culture. Their natural beauty and amazing wildlife are a source of wonder, inspiration, recreation and wellbeing for millions. They also have huge economic value: the UK government estimates that maritime activities including tourism, shipping, fisheries and renewable energy contribute £47 billion to the British economy annually. But our seas are in trouble. Fishing, pollution and climate change are putting increasing pressure on marine ecosystems, jeopardising their future. In 2019, our seas failed to meet government standards on good environmental health against 11 out of 15 indicators, including those relating to birds, fish and seabed habitats. Sky Ocean Rescue and WWF are campaigning for a new 10- year vision and action plan for UK ocean recovery. Bringing our oceans back to life is crucial for our climate and biodiversity targets, but it’s also a sound economic investment. Taking action now to put UK seas on a path to recovery will bring additional benefits worth at least £50 billion by 2050, against an estimated cost of £38 billion. It also has the potential to create over 100,000 full-time jobs, mostly in renewable energy, as we seek to rebuild after the Covid-19 pandemic’
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