South Coast Marine Recovery Project

The South Coast Marine Recovery Project will bring coastal communities together over a multi-year programme to bring our seas back to life

Explore this project

Why our seas are important
Why the south coast is at risk
What the project will do
The timeline of the project
Sign up to find out more and get involved

Britain’s seas are amazing places, full of life, colour and important habitats – and this is especially true of the south coast. 

From the wild, rugged coasts of Cornwall to the sheltered shingle beaches of Sussex, the waters of our south coast are home to all kinds of wonderful wildlife, historic fisheries and habitats that are internationally important. Seahorses dwell in seagrass meadows. Waders, waterfowl and seabirds flock to saltmarshes. Cuttlefish patrol in kelp forests. But this wildlife is at risk. 

These special places are at risk

Even though they are so important, these areas are under intense pressure. Wildlife is declining. Whole ecosystems are struggling to cope. Decades of human impact, from intensive fishing and agricultural pollution to poorly planned developments and climate change, have pushed nature at sea to the brink. 

Some of the underwater habitats that many animals depend on have almost disappeared. Since 1980, the UK has lost nearly 40% of its seagrass. In Sussex, an astonishing 96% of kelp forests disappeared, before a recent recovery project began to bring them back. 

The UK Government promised to protect 30% of our land, rivers and seas for nature by 2030 – but the current laws meant to protect our seas aren’t working. Damaging activities, like bottom trawling, are still allowed across most of the south coast’s sea – including within Marine Protected Areas. At the same time, the climate crisis is causing rising sea temperatures, increased storms and the challenge of new species expanding their ranges into British waters.

In fact, since their designation only 15% of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) show positive signs of recovery. 58% of MPAs have actually seen their condition deteriorate. Clearly, the management of this network of protected areas is not working to help nature to recover.

Marine Protected Area Reality Checker

What we're doing

For Britain’s seas to recover and truly thrive again, we need bold ideas and big ambition. We want to: 

• Reduce the pressures harming our seas
• Help more people to understand, value and play an active role in marine restoration

Everything in the sea is connected – from the native oyster and mussel reefs and kelp forests to the fish, birds and mammals that depend on them. That means we have to work at a seascape-level if we want real, lasting change. 

And that’s what the South Coast Marine Recovery Project aims to do. 

Wildlife Trusts across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight and Sussex, supported by Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT), are joining forces to take action for our seas right across the region. 

Together, they’ll support communities to take the lead in ensuring the health of our ocean through a mix of hands-on activities and wider changes that give nature the space it needs to recover. 

What this looks like 

• Working with communities and stakeholders to co-design practical solutions to enable marine restoration
• Working to reduce systemic pressures on the ocean, such as removing damaging activities or using nature based solutions to restore ecosystems – giving our wildlife the chance to regenerate naturally and thrive

The timeline of the project

A 15-month development phase is taking place from January 2026 – March 2027. This phase will see the Wildlife Trusts working closely with regulators, the fishing industry, local authorities and coastal communities to co-create a shared vision of a healthy, thriving south coast.  

The subsequent delivery phase will span several years, putting this plan into action to create long-term change for nature, coastal businesses and local communities, allowing them to flourish together. 

Stay in touch

We’ll be sending updates every two months to our mailing list, informing you of how the project is going – and letting you know ways that you can get involved!

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More about our work at sea