The Environmental Audit Committee published its sustainable seas report in January calling for action by Government to end the use of seas as a sewer, and criticising its ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach. Recommendations focused on tackling threats to marine life from climate change, overfishing and pollution – especially the risk of long-term harm from plastic pollution.

• Sustainable Seas: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourteenth Report
• Sustainable Seas: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourteenth Report (PDF 254 KB)
• Letter to Dr Therese Coffey (PDF 759 KB)
• Inquiry: Sustainable seas
• Environmental Audit Committee

Today the Committee publishes the Government Response, alongside a letter to Environment Minister Therese Coffey asking for clarification on marine protection.

Chair’s comments

Environmental Audit Committee Chair Mary Creagh MP said:

“Our inquiry heard that the Government is failing on UK marine protection, allowing harmful activities to take place through a lack of management and monitoring. We’re surprised the Government believes that not only has it surpassed an internationally agreed target to protect at least 10% of its coastal and marine areas, but that it’s done it ahead of schedule. What we’re asking is, where’s the evidence? It appears that the Government is doing little more than putting lines on a map, creating marine reserves that are ‘paper parks’, where fishing and dredging can still occur.

“We gave the Government a clear list of actions to prevent our seas being choked by plastics, chemicals and sewage. This week’s landmark report from the UN on the loss of species points to human activity in seas as one of the major culprits, and that 66% of the marine environment has been significantly altered by human actions.

“On climate change, our report called for Government to set out plans on how it would meet the ambitions of the Paris Agreement. The Government said it would wait for advice from the Committee on Climate Change – who now say emissions can be cut to nearly zero by 2050. We want to see clear action from Government to deliver that.

“On plastic waste, the Government has missed an opportunity to lead on tackling it. A ban on single use plastic that can’t easily be recycled would send a clear message to industry. Instead the Government is allowing the industry to move at its own pace and hoping that reforms to packaging producer responsibility will sort out the problem.

“We’re disappointed that our call for a latte levy is ruled out. Instead of taking the lead, the Government has again passed the buck to business and industry to come up with their own plans.

“Deep sea mining is a new industry that risks causing catastrophic damage to marine habitats and sea life. We’re surprised and disappointed that the Government won’t commit to using its international influence to call for a moratorium on exploitation licences that threaten these fragile, unexplored ecosystems.”

Click here to read the letters and see more detail