Wildlife & Countryside Link ‘Conservation and environment groups are highlighting the spectacular failure of UK Governments to deliver on their collective promises to keep our seas healthy and biologically diverse shown in the revised UK Marine Strategy (published late yesterday, 9 May). Conservation experts are calling on Governments across the UK to radically up the ambition and plans outlined in the proposals in order to tackle the current ocean emergency.

The new UK Marine Strategy shows that to date the UK has only succeeded on 4 out of 15 indicators needed for healthy oceans. Yet despite this failure and dire warnings of biodiversity declines on land and sea by the UN this key UK framework & the recent EAC Report which aims to help ensure marine ecosystems recover to a healthy condition, the UKs response is worryingly weak.

Environmentalists are warning that without a step-change in approach we risk losing not only iconic nature, but also the benefits that a healthy marine environment provides for people.

In addition to disastrous declines in marine biodiversity, letting our seas suffer has clear and dramatic implications for the key issue of climate change and the ramifications of global warming for us all, as our oceans absorb one third of our CO2 and 90% of all heat produced by humans.[3] As we close in on new global AICHI targets to restore nature in 2020, the collective UK Governments’ admission that our oceans are in poor health is a wake-up call that we must grasp this once in a lifetime opportunity to turn the tide for our seas. The UK Marine Strategy should be the first step toward this – with proposals being consulted on for the next six weeks.