I live inland how can I help?

Whether you live inland or by the sea the coastal and marine environment somehow influences your way of life, whether you are aware of it or not. Our seas since the beginning of time have supported human life, they provide for us in many ways and without them we would not have become what we are today.

• The seas and their resources have supported us in a number of ways, through;
• The provision of protein in the form of seafood.
• The provision of materials such as sand and gravel which allow us to develop and construct new schools, homes, hospitals. Buildings which we rely on in order to go about our daily lives.
• The provision of oil and gas which heat our homes
• Providing us with jobs, an income to support our families
• Providing us with a new source of clean renewable energy, e.g. through the introduction of offshore wind farms.
• Providing us with a safe haven to escape the world, a place to go with the family, have a holiday or just generally take a break. Recreationally our sea provides us with an incredible resource, including allowing us to partake in some of the countries favourite past times, coastal walking, photography, diving or general sport.

The future of our marine life?

Now, the journey really begins. We have in place the necessary legislation to allow the creation of an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas. This network will be implemented through four regional Marine Conservation Zone projects – the North Sea project is called Net Gain. Our job is to ensure the MPA network is established with wildlife at the heart, protecting not only the rare and threatened but a range of marine species and habitats. Through input into the Net Gain project we will provide information and data supporting the establishment of Marine Conservation Zones. However, we cannot do this alone. We need your help to achieve our vision of Living Seas, ones in which wildlife thrives from the depths of the ocean to the coastal shallows, where wildlife recovers from past declines and adapts to climate change and where people feel inspired by marine wildlife and the value the sea has on their quality of life.

The pressure on UK seas to provide services and resources has never been greater.More and more commercial activities are shifting into the sea, or developing there, as industry overcomes the technological challenges and realises the economies of operating on a vast scale in the open ocean. The fastest growing sector is marine energy.

The pressure is on to extract every possible drop from the UK’s dwindling offshore oil and natural gas reserves. Once empty, there are plans to use the oil and gas fields to store imported gas. Meanwhile, the UK’s ambitious renewable energy targets will only be met through a massive expansion – and most of this is set to take place at sea, through windfarms, wave farms, barrages and tidal turbines. The construction industry also is increasingly looking to the seas, rather than quarries on land, to provide sand and gravel, while growth in shipping and marine leisure is creating demand for new port and marina facilities.

The natural ability of a healthy sea to regulate the atmosphere, climate and weather is of enormous value, however we have to ensure that these activities occur whilst allowing wildlife to grow and thrive. Help us to achieve our vision of Living Seas where our needs are balanced alongside the needs of wildlife. Help us do this and join us on our journey towards Living Seas by:

• Getting outside and exploring your marine environment or if this isn’t possible read a book or watch a documentary about the marine environment from the comfort of your own home.
• Visit a coastal nature reserve or take a holiday to the seaside.
• Tell others what’s out there, help us promote the marine environment
• If you’re a diver send us underwater photographs, videos or your stories of the sea
• Or by attend events or help volunteer to collect valuable information that will highlight areas of marine life in need of protection. Whether you live inland or by the sea there is always something you can do to help!