A new briefing published by The Wildlife Trusts urges the UK Government to act fast to implement the commitments it made three years ago at the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference. Unfortunately, many promises made at that time have yet to be implemented and UK seas continue to decline. 

The follow-up United Nations Ocean Conference next week, 9^th - 13^th June, is a pivotal moment for the UK Government to fulfil its responsibilities and say how it intends to meet its global commitments to reverse the loss of marine wildlife and accelerate action to protect and sustainably use UK seas. 

In the UK, over half of marine habitats are deteriorating and only 29% of estuaries and coastal bodies are in good ecological condition. Damage is largely due to unsustainable fishing and development, plastic pollution and agricultural run-off, leading to the degradation of delicate ecosystems. 

Even Marine Protected Areas – nature reserves at sea – are not fully protected from destructive activities such as bottom trawling.  

The Wildlife Trusts urge Member States to commit to: 

• End damaging activities including bottom-trawling in Marine Protected Areas and use these special places to protect blue carbon as well as wildlife
• Put in effective measures to achieve Good Environmental Status across all our seas
• Develop national marine spatial plans to minimise conflicts and support sea recovery  

Ruth Williams, head of marine at The Wildlife Trusts, says: 

“Over half of the UK’s wildlife call the sea home, and every single one of us – wherever we live – relies on it for respite, recreation and even the air we breathe. Yet our seas are being destroyed by damaging practices and threatened by unsustainable development. They are blighted by exploitation and badly polluted.  

“We are appealing to UK ministers and world leaders to take these simple steps to ensure our seas are properly protected and that wildlife in our waters can thrive. 

The recovery and restoration of our beautiful marine habitats and the fantastic wildlife that lives beneath the waves around our coastline is within our grasp. 

It’s entirely possible to achieve the gold standard of marine management but we need action now and we need it fast – our future depends on it. 

“We published a Blue Carbon report last year which revealed that the UK’s marine habitats have a crucial role to play in tackling climate change. The report found that 244 million tonnes of organic carbon are stored in just the top 10cm of seabed sediments and coastal vegetated habitats, with over 98% of it stored in seabed sediments such as mud. It’s time we took protecting it much more seriously.”  

The seas around the UK are sensitive ecosystems relied on by an abundance of extraordinary wildlife – from tiny sand eels (the favourite food of puffins) to ocean giants like minke whales and orcas. They also offer a treasure trove of opportunities for tourism, trade and ocean energy, and have the potential to protect against climate breakdown due to the large stores of carbon they hold. 

However, disturbances caused by offshore development or bottom trawling – a fishing technique where nets are raked along the seabed – releases precious carbon locked away within the mud and sediment, worsening the climate crisis. It also destroys habitats and species living on the seabed, which is why the Wildlife Trusts is calling for it to be banned in Marine Protected Areas. 

For more information, read our briefing on the UN Oceans Conference.