MMO (17.07.15):   This report sets out the MMO’s priorities for evidence from 2015 – 2020. To read more go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evidence-strategy-for-the-marine-management-organisation-mmo

MMO ‘To ensure it makes effective management decisions, the MMO must maintain a level of technical capability within its own staff alongside a clear strategic approach to ensuring any evidence needs are met both now and in the future. This document sets out Part 1 of the MMO’s Evidence Strategy for 2015 to 2020.

Part 1 of the Evidence Strategy reflects MMO’s current delivery remit, recent developments in the relevant evidence base, Defra’s revised Evidence Strategy and an increased public sector focus on efficient delivery.

Part 2 of the MMO Evidence Strategy is a detailed work programme outlining the specific evidence requirements and how they will be met. This will be produced following engagement on Part 1 and updated annually to ensure evidence prioritisation is a dynamic process and allow for flexibility as new requirements arise.

Taking a strategic view of evidence allows efficient prioritisation of requirements and enables better collaborative working. The MMO will engage with the marine science community in order to reflect emerging scientific knowledge or developments in relevant policies which may be relevant to marine management, and this input will be used to inform any future work.

Within this strategy, science and evidence within the MMO falls into 3 themes:

1. Describing the marine environment
2. Interactions in the marine environment
3. Integrated marine management

The MMO relies on a number of organisations to produce evidence important for marine management for example the Centre for Environmental, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) the Environment Agency (EA), Natural England (NE), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), The Crown Estate, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the Office of National Statistics, Historic England and the UK Hydrographic Office and British Geological Survey.

The MMO will use this Evidence Strategy as a framework for internal evidence prioritisation and effective contribution to the development of Defra network evidence needs as well as an external guide to stakeholders interested in the sustainable management of England’s marine area.