Defra and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) have released reports which review progress made in meeting the aims of the East Inshore and Offshore Marine Plans and the UK Marine Policy Statement.

The East Marine Plans’ inshore area has a coastline that stretches from Flamborough Head in Yorkshire to Felixstowe town in Suffolk. The offshore area covers from 12 nautical miles out to maritime borders with the Netherlands, Belgium and France. The East Marine Plans were adopted on 1 April 2014.

The East Marine Plans are 20 year plans, so it is important that they are regularly assessed. As with all marine plans, the East Marine Plans are monitored and reviewed every three years, looking at the:

• effects of policies in the marine plan
• effectiveness of those policies in securing plan objectives
• progress towards achieving any objectives set out for that region in a marine plan and the Marine Policy Statement

Replacing the East Marine Plans

The 2023 report shows that the East Marine Plans’ specific plan policies are having a positive effect. It also identified some limitations and further improvements. Following advice from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), the East Marine Plans will be replaced.

Replacing the plans will improve how they meet the goal of “clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas”. It will also help consider the challenges and opportunities that the competing demands on our seas bring. The MMO will develop drafts of the revised East Marine Plans. They will use the marine planning process and consult at the appropriate time.

Further information can be read here.