Views needed: priorities for Marine Net Gain

Strategic targets for Net Gain: what are the priorities for restoration and enhancement of the UK’s marine and coastal environments?

All marine stakeholders are invited to participate in a short survey about your views on priorities and targets for marine restoration and enhancement in UK waters.
 
Background
There is widespread recognition of the need to take positive action to restore and enhance our marine environment.

This is supported by the commitment in the Government’s 25 year Environment Plan to reverse the loss of marine biodiversity and, where practicable, restore it.

Net Gain has been identified as an important mechanism that could contribute to halting and reversing marine biodiversity loss. Net Gain is an approach to development that leaves the environment in a better state than before. It can include concepts such as Biodiversity Net Gain as well as wider environmental gains, including natural capital benefits and ecosystem services.
 
About the survey
This survey has been commissioned by the Offshore Wind Energy and Change (OWEC) Marine Net Gain Task and Finish Group, which is working closely with Defra’s Offshore Wind Enabling Actions Programme (OWEAP).

The Task and Finish Group is developing recommendations for strategic targets for Marine Net Gain which will ensure that industry can play a significant role in helping to restore marine environments through its commitment to net gain in England. These targets can help support OWEAP’s development of the Marine Net Gain policy for England, which will be consulted on later in the year.

This includes actions that might be taken in the offshore marine environment, coastal and intertidal areas, as well as those that might be taken on land that benefit the marine environment. For example, direct restoration or enhancement of marine habitats and species, or the removal/ reduction of human activity pressures.

We are inviting marine stakeholders to participate in this survey and welcome your views on priority actions for marine restoration and enhancement in UK waters. Findings will help direct how Net Gain is delivered when it becomes a routine aspect of development and part of the principle of Build Back Better.

All responses will be anonymised in any publications. It is intended that a summary of the survey results will be included in the Task & Finish Group’s report, which will be made publicly available.

If you have any queries on this survey, please contact vicky.west@abpmer.co.uk.

The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete; please respond by 30 June.

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