Has your country established and/or strengthened institutional, administrative and legislative arrangements for the development of integrated management of marine and coastal ecosystems?
Arrangements in place (please provide details below)
Not applicable
Further comments on the current status of implementation of integrated marine and coastal area management.
The North Sea Regional Advisory Council (RAC), under the EC Common Fisheries Policy Regulation, was established in November 2004 at Edinburgh. The purpose is to bring together fishermen, scientists and other interest groups so that they can discuss the basis of fisheries management advice. This grouping has been successful in establishing confidence between the two sides, and has done a lot to improve the quality of discussion on fisheries management issues. (OSPAR HOD (3) 04/4/1).
Has your country implemented ecosystem-based management of marine and coastal resources, for example through integration of coastal management and watershed management, or through integrated multidisciplinary coastal and ocean management?
No
Early stages of development
X
Advanced stages of development
Arrangements in place (please provide details below)
Not applicable
Further comments on the current status of application of the ecosystem to management of marine and coastal resources.
UK Marine Spatial Planning Pilot Project has been let to review available literature, evidence and experiences to date together with more detailed consideration of those experiences and ideas; and conduct a pilot project that simulates the development of a marine spatial plan at the UK regional sea level.
The UK is implementing the EU's recommendation on Integrated Zone Management and we are also implementing the Water Framework Directive which provides for watershed management
Marine and Coastal Living Resources
Has your country identified components of your marine and coastal ecosystems, which are critical for their functioning, as well as key threats to those ecosystems?
No
Plans for a comprehensive assessment of marine and coastal ecosystems are in place (please provide details below)
A comprehensive assessment is currently in progress
Critical ecosystem components have been identified, and management plans for them are being developed (please provide details below)
Management plans for important components of marine and coastal ecosystems are in place (please provide details below)
x
Not applicable
Further comments on the current status of assessment, monitoring and research relating to marine and coastal ecosystems, as well as key threats to them
Work is ongoing to identify what are key ecosystem components. The UK has identified key threats to ecosystems, we are now furthering our knowledge and investigating the components which are critical for the functioning of healthy ecosystems, by examining how we may developing a suite of Ecological Quality Objectives. As fish and shellfish resources qualify as critical components on marine ecosystem function, a wide range of measures are available and implemented. Fisheries and habitat management plans are developed throughout UK.
The UK and the UK Overseas Territories are working to improve regulation and enforcement to combat illegal unreported and unregulated fishing in some of the Overseas Territories economic zones where problems have occurred.
Is your country undertaking the following activities to implement the Convention’s work plan on coral reefs? Please use an “X” to indicate your response.
Restoration and rehabilitation of degraded coral reef habitats
X
Others (please specify below)
Please elaborate on ongoing activities.
The UK has significant tropical reefs in the Overseas Territories - in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean.
The Darwin Mounds are considered to be one of the best examples of a cold-water reef in UK waters. The Government is considering designating the Darwin Mounds as a candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC) under the provisions of the EC Habitats Directive.
