Motion #03
At Autumn Conference 2022 the Marine and Coastal Policy Working Group, (M&C PWG) had the enabling motion passed to update, review and rewrite the M&C policy from 2012. The draft voting paper below is intended to be submitted for Autumn Conference 2024 and for the Full Voting Paper to be ready before Autumn Conference 2026.
Our aim is to continue to explore in depth the issues affecting marine and coastal areas, to keep up to date with the many changes occurring and to create principles and background ideas for policy statements. The current policy from 2012 with revision in 2019 is relevant in some areas but also out of date. We wish to have the depth and range needed for the future beyond 2030. We have consulted with coastal councillors, those with expertise in Fisheries, Food, Marine Protected Areas, legislation including rights of nature, marine pollution, and coastal challenges from climate change impacts.
In the current draft we have a new section that deals with biodiversity, establishing a blue carbon strategy, and implementation of the UN COP Biodiversity targets and protecting at least 30% of UK waters and the 30% of the high seas beyond any national jurisdiction. There are also updates on marine pollution and dredging and a new part of the recreational section on leisure boating.
Introduction
The Ocean is not too big to fail, nor is it too big to fix… but is too big to ignore.” Jane Lubchenco
The world’s oceans face a range of human-induced threats from climate change, pollution, over-fishing, fossil fuel extraction and, should it be allowed to progress, deep sea mining. It doesn’t have to be like this, and the Green Party would put in place strong measures to help the oceans recover their health. This will have benefits for nature, human health, wellbeing, coastal communities and the wider economy.
Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 2 Draft Policy
Policy Sections
1.Governance and Legislation
2.Biodiversity and Blue Carbon
3 Overseas territories
5 UN Biodiversity Targets Marine Protected Areas 3.Marine and Coastal Economies 8 Fisheries Aquaculture 4.Marine Pollution 12 Marine Transport Dredging 5. Marine and Coastal Communities and Partnerships 17 Coastal Erosion and Sea Level Rise Renewable Offshore Wind and other marine facilities - rigs 6. Access to Coast, Recreation and Education 18 Tourism, Beaches and water quality Recreation Angling Boating Education and Training Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 3 1. Governance and Legislation Principles Fully functioning and funded government agencies for the UK and devolved nations are crucial to prevent further degradation of the seas within UK jurisdiction, and to help them to recover from damage done to date. Such agencies would have the resources to enforce existing laws and to work with local communities, academics and others to continually improve our understanding of natural marine systems and how best to balance their use for nature and humanity. MC200 The Green Party has a rights and responsibilities chapter and this approach can ensure individuals, public bodies, private companies take full responsibility and duty of care for the marine environment. Transparency and accountability must be part of governance. MC201 Marine ecosystems have unquantifiable rights and values. The Green Party will pursue a different approach to legislation and governance through Rights of Nature, Ocean Rights and Ecocide at local, national and international levels. The Green Party will ensure current laws and international agreements are upheld effectively to protect and restore the marine environment. Further actions such as environmental bye laws and improved environmental bills will be considered when necessary. MCN202 The Green Party acknowledges that there is legislation and many regulations for Marine and Coastal environments in place but there is an urgency that governance must be more effective to protect and conserve marine ecosystems for the future. – Marine governance must be managed holistically and with coordination between all the different authorities, interest groups and stakeholders. Current regulation is complex and not easily understood, with lack of clarity as to responsibilities. The Green Party will review the current systems to ensure sustainable and ecosystem responsible measures are taken on the basis of sound science, collaboration and co-management. This will also involve pollution prevention measures with those responsible. MC203 The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) prepares Marine Spatial Plans. Greater democratic oversight is needed and reviews of marine licensing in or affecting Marine Conservation Zones. Environmental Outcome Reports must focus on the growing concerns about habitat and species collapse. Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 4 MC204 Governance can function within prescribed Marine Spatial Plans. Local government should have a major role in coordination with local, regional and national bodies. Statutory powers are needed rather than advisory but with some flexibility for change in response to need. These plans will recognise sustainable use, ecosystem conservation and the precautionary principle where the burden of proof will lie with those wishing to utilise the marine environment to show that their actions will not be harmful. (Fisheries Act 2020) MC206 The Green Party will encourage and adequately fund the expansion of the existing network of Coastal Partnerships and Forums so as to involve local communities, businesses and NGOs in coastal decision-making. MC207 The Green Party will aim to achieve good governance on the basis of good information, sound science, adequate funding and effective monitoring. Research on ecosystem health restoration must be expanded. Monitoring and enforcement must be sufficiently funded to be effective. Improved monitoring and research in particular in ‘no take’ areas, specific MPAs and sensitive marine environments. Impact of largescale extraction of fish, other resources and use of sea bed. Efficient data gathering systems will be promoted to ensure the best management and with quicker responses to overfishing, illegal fishing, climate and pollution impacts in order to act promptly against species decline. MC208 The Crown Estate owns much of the seabed around our coastline. Its terms of reference should be changed to ensure that its overriding objective is the sustainable management of this key natural asset. Income from the Crown Estate should be used to provide funding for ecosystem restoration, research and monitoring with just transitions for local and regional socio-economic activities. MC209 The Green Party will ensure that the oversight and enforcement of the 2020 Fisheries Act will change from regulating economic activity to enabling the integrity and sound functioning of marine ecosystems. Without EU sanctioning for failure of compliance the UK government must take full responsibility for ensuring compliance with its own Act. Overseas Territories and Governance. Background to Overseas Territories Only four other countries in the world are responsible for more of the ocean than the UK, and as a nation we claim control over three and a half times as much ocean as we do land. Aspects of overseas territories are referred to in Wildlife and Habitats. MC210 The Green Party will ensure the overseas territories waters under its jurisdiction are managed and funded responsibly by the UK government and local communities are involved in planning and decision making. Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 5 MC211 Overseas Territories will be prevented from acting as “flags of convenience” for other nations (a practice which provides relatively lax inspection and crewing requirements, as well as tax advantages), and instead will have to comply with the maritime standards of British domestic law. 2. BIODIVERSITY AND BLUE CARBON Principle – Blue carbon, marine biodiversity and their ecosystems are interlinked and part of a natural solution for the climate crisis. Effective protection, legislation and monitoring to prevent overexploitation of all the ocean with a minimum of 30% highly protected from extraction and 70% under National and International agreements to ensure marine ecosystems can recover and regenerate fully. Carbon contained in marine and coastal ecosystems must be considered in the same way as our woodlands and peatbogs…critical to the UK’s carbon strategy. Definition of Blue Carbon by Marine Conservation Society ‘Marine ecosystems like seagrass meadows, saltmarshes and mangroves absorb or ‘draw down’ carbon dioxide from the water and atmosphere, just like plants and trees on land. The storage of carbon in marine habitats is called blue carbon. The storage of blue carbon can be in the plants themselves, like seaweed and seagrass; in the seafloor sediment where plants are rooted; or even in the animals which live in the water, including seabirds, fish and larger mammals.’ The Marine Conservation Society is calling for the development of a comprehensive Blue Carbon Strategy by the UK Government and devolved administrations, focusing on three key nature-based action areas: • Scaling up marine rewilding for biodiversity and blue carbon benefits • Integrating blue carbon protection and recovery into climate mitigation and environmental management policies • Working with the private sector to develop and support sustainable and innovative lowcarbon commercial fisheries and aquaculture. POLICIES MC300. The Green Party will raise the importance of blue carbon in UK carbon budgeting and for actions within Climate Emergency proposals. Blue carbon is the way marine ecosystems capture carbon whereas human impacts on ecosystems and the sea bed can severely affect the carbon cycle and release more carbon. - Funding for a blue carbon strategy should be commensurate with the importance of the oceans and their ecosystems within the climate and nature crisis. - Climate action to net zero is crucial for preventing more rises in ocean temperature Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 6 MC301 The Green party will commit to a Blue Carbon Strategy, with specific and ambitious blue carbon habitat recovery, restoration and protection targets in UK waters. Blue Carbon contributes to climate change mitigation. - Local Authorities and NGOs given licence and funding for specific restoration projects such as kelp forests, seagrass, salt marshes, wetlands as most appropriate to the area. - Regional Fisheries, MMO and local government involvement in areas needing protection at different times of the year, no take areas, the importance of spawning grounds, increasing the numbers of wild fish and role of crustaceans. - Prevention of pollution within these habitats and measures to monitor and enforce this. - Protection of sea bed through local and national legislation with strict regulations on areas where dredging is allowed and monitoring of the impacts. - Blue carbon will not be available for use in any “carbon offset” markets. - Committing to International agreements of no deep-sea mining because of the threat to biodiversity which has taken millions of years to form and the consequences of disturbing and destroying these ecosystems puts ocean health and life in greater danger. MC302 The Green Party will support protection and restoration of important marine areas within UK jurisdiction by 2030 in accord with UN Biodiversity agreements and as part of a blue carbon strategy. There will need to be a long-term goal to allow more areas to achieve recognised Good Ecological Status. This will mean - Controlling pollutants. Including land-based discharges and rubbish, discharges at sea and structures used for drilling, wind farms and cable laying. - Limiting and banning extraction from the marine environment including policies to prevent overfishing, damage to sea-bed through dredging and bottom trawling, and to control mining and dredging or ban in areas needing the highest levels of protection and restoration. - Restoring degraded Marine habitats ecosystems and allowing others to regenerate/ re -wild. In order to achieve this, we will - review and rationalise all relevant current legislation to ensure that it is fit to deliver the goal of Good Ecological Status. - significantly increase the monitoring of the marine environment to assess progress towards Good Ecological Status - invest in enforcement to ensure compliance with the relevant legislation. MC303 The Green Party will continue to create and strengthen legislation that protects marine life and species and to provide funding for the monitoring of the health, numbers, Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 7 human impacts on both individual species and ecosystems. This will also include all fish and the impacts of destructive fishing practices as part of the backbone to a comprehensive Blue Carbon Strategy. Role of fish in blue carbon. ‘As carbon storers, healthy fish populations maintain the organic carbon stock they constitute and as carbon sequesters, fish maintain the inorganic carbon stock (i.e., CO2 injected in the ocean interior following the remineralisation of fish faecal pellets) and can increase local alkalinity and buffer climate-induced acidification by excreting carbonate. Furthermore, larger fish populations can help alleviate some of the projected declines in fisheries catches as, with greater genetic diversity, extended age and a larger size structure, and higher reproductive output, large populations are more resilient to, and recover better after, stress than depleted populations’ Science Direct MC304 All UK aquatic environments must be maintained or restored to healthy and good ecological status. Biodiversity is threatened by pollution of the aquatic environment. The Green Party will continue to strive for measures to prevent this and improve aquatic environments both marine and freshwater. There are motions on water quality and rivers, a pollution chapter and section in Marine and Coastal on tackling pollution at source. - Marine and Coastal areas reach into rivers through the tides - Rivers and estuaries affect coastal areas with both flooding and pollution. - Biodiversity needs routes through these aquatic areas and these should be considered as essential for restoration, COP targets and ocean and river rights to ensure the need for a healthy unpolluted aquatic environment. MARINE PROTECTED AREAS POLICIES MC305 The Green Party will continue to work within existing legislation and in accord with the COP Biodiversity targets to fully implement a large-scale, ecologically coherent network of MPAs within the UK’s seas which are able to have high standards for ecosystem regeneration. This may result in a review of locations and a range of definitions from Highly Protected with no extraction, VME, Vulnerable Marine Environments and Marine Protected with some low impact fishing. All should be monitored for good and improving ecological status. From 2012 policy around the UK, and Internationally, less than 1% of the seas enjoy full protection. MC306 As part of this MPA network from inshore, offshore and into the UK’s exclusive economic zone over 30% should be established as no-take reserves closed to commercial fishing and other extractive activities. These reserves should be properly representative, and always include at least 30 percent of the most productive and sensitive areas, such as spawning grounds. These proposals will be developed in collaboration with scientists, the public and stakeholders. The boundaries and existence of such reserves could be open to Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 8 periodic renewal and licences for low impact fishing given when ecological status is improved or non-damaging. Overseas Ocean under UK Jurisdiction. MC306 Internationally the Green Party will support the UN Biodiversity Targets and other nations looking to establish MPAs within their own waters and to allow for more interconnected protection between member states. Globally, we will advocate high levels of protection, with 30% of the world’s oceans beyond national jurisdiction completely closed to extractive activities, in agreement with the UN High Seas Charter. - The UK can show leadership for the protection and restoration of these waters, establish a ‘Blue Belt’ with dialogue and support from local island communities and increase Marine Protected Areas in each of the different overseas EEZs – Exclusive Economic Zones by at least the 30% target. - These areas must also be funded sufficiently in accord with their global significance in order to provide effective monitoring, enforcement and to achieve full ecological restoration. These reserves will be equipped with adequate enforcement and monitoring capabilities in order to deter illegal fishing, monitor biodiversity, and provide a base for scientific research . 3.Marine and Coastal Economies Fisheries and Aquaculture Fishing Economy Principles Green Party policy seeks to balance the need for food resources with the harm that can be done to the environment. Local and low impact fishing can support local economies, provide skills, and contribute to locally sourced food and food security. This is similar in principle to regenerative farming in the Food and Agriculture policy chapter. 1. Ensuring all fisheries become low impact, nature friendly, regenerative, following responsible precautionary principles so that there can be a balance in the number of fish taken for human food, other wildlife and within an improved and fairer quota system. 2. Consider fish and restoration of healthy fish populations within a comprehensive Blue Carbon Strategy as essential to future well-being of ocean and people dependent on fish as a food resource. 3. Aquaculture is replacing wild fish capture but is creating different problems that harm the marine environment. Developing sustainable and low impact solutions is crucial but also cruelty to animals kept in crowded conditions must be considered. MC400 Fisheries should be managed according to the 2020 Fisheries Act with an ecosystem approach that coordinates local, regional and national decision making with transparency Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 9 and involvement of a range of stakeholders. The aim is to bring local, regional and national marine ecosystems into good ecological health. One measure will be an increase of wild fish numbers and the other that fishers achieve sustainable livelihoods through low impact fishing methods and equitable distribution of quotas to support coastal communities. MC401 The Green Party will improve procedures for wild fish being caught, processed, packaged and sold locally or regionally, and fishers will be encouraged to take on more aspects of the supply chain. This will enable local fishers to maximise the value of their catch, support local economic development and reduce the environmental impact of fisheries. MC402 Green Party policies favour localism and will accept the promotion of British seafood products and develop home markets for a more diverse range of fish from UK waters. This will be within policies that allow for a reduction in consumption of animal protein but with regard to food security and more carbon efficient animal protein from local wild fish capture. MC403 Introduce traceability with a clear and more consistent labelling system for marine products to allow consumers to make informed choices, particularly with regard to the sustainability of products and their points of origin. This should include whether fish are wild or farmed, methods of catch, quality of life for fish farmed. MC404 Arrangements will be reviewed for UK Gov Funds and other funds to promote economic diversification in fisheries dependent areas. MC405 The Green Party will support ways to allow for more carbon friendly fishing through fuel reduction, reducing distances, changes away from use of fossil fuels, just transitions for local fisheries. Protection of the Marine Environment within the Fishing Economy Background Most marine areas are under national jurisdiction with common access, as such there is a lack of a sense of responsibility and stewardship (Jones, 2014). Unsustainable fishing practices do not just deplete stocks, they threaten the environment and marine ecology and can also have an impact on coastal communities (HM Government, 2018). Principles The Green Party will promote a combination of increasing responsibility and respect for all marine life, with effective monitoring and accountability through use of new technology and standards for changes to low impact fishing. Effective monitoring and prevention of overfishing and illegal fishing in UK waters will be important. Policies Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 10 MC406 The Green Party will propose a duty of care, responsibility and stewardship for fishing communities and companies so that high standards and regulations are understood and abided by to achieve sustainable goals and prevent overfishing, waste, pollution and harm to the marine environment. MC407The Green Party will enable and encourage fishing communities to take responsibility as protectors and use their experience to gain employment in the management, monitoring and enforcement of our marine environment. MC408–By Catch The Green Party supports specific measures to avoid by catch and all vessels must demonstrate a duty of care and report. A combination of self-monitoring and coastal monitoring through technology and inspection is needed to ensure methods are in place to prevent marine mammals and other species being caught. MC 408 -Discard Discard of the wrong size fish or low value fish must change to a charging system as put forward in the 2020 Fisheries Act. This must be carefully monitored so as not to create overfishing or the waste of life that ensued from discard policies and high grading. REM – remote Electronic Monitoring and other methods must be used within larger boats and supported by incentives within smaller ones. Prevention of overfishing Background MC409 Fishery quotas have been based on scientific evidence but with an emphasis on economic concern whether previously in the EU or now in the UK. Instead of using the precautionary principle and scientific advice, commercial agreements have been based on going above the MSY Maximum Sustainable Yield. Sustainability references to numbers of fish only go back a few years and do not relate to the much higher numbers present in the sea from previous decades. Legal fishing is contributing greatly to overfishing, collapse of fish species and the ecosystems they are a part of. Sustainable has not been sustainable Policies MC410 The Green Party will review the quota system and licensing. The aim will be for the numbers to be lower, based on recovery and knowledge of key wild species reproduction rate, larger and older fish can reproduce more effectively than smaller fish in some species. Other stress factors must be monitored and taken into account such as ocean temperature rises and impacts from pollution, water quality and sewage effluent, impact of plastic particles and other chemicals. Quotas must be distributed more equitably and to those deploying low impact fishing methods. Stakeholders should include NGOS representing other marine life dependent on fish at Regional Fisheries and MMO meetings where decisions are made. Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 11 Quotas must be well within maximum sustainable yield, be based on thorough scientific evidence and with the ecosystem approach outlined in the 2020 Fisheries Act. Sale of quotas need to be carefully monitored. MC411 All populations of commercially exploited marine species to be within biologically safe limits. It should be impossible to set unsustainable catch limits. The Green Party will aim to return catch limits to sizes that are commensurate with the natural productivity from high quality, sustainable marine ecosystems. This is in EU Marine Governance and needs to be an international effort too. Background Greece is the first EU country to ban bottom trawling in MPA. France created a temporary ban in Bay of Biscay as dolphin by catch numbers were 9000 and needed recovery. Banning in sudden response to dramatic decline of a species shows the need to improve management and review the use of large-scale industrial fishing. MC412 The Green Party will introduce bans on destructive fishing practices/gear in areas such as MPAs but also phasing out in other areas, and to be strictly regulated and monitored. Environmental damage to wild fish numbers and the need to restore must take priority over commercial pressure and the right to fish. - to achieve this, bottom trawling and destructive practices should be banned in UK waters. - Restrict beam trawling on sea bed and all large-scale fishing where tonnes of fish are removed in a short time frame as no longer a sustainable practice for recovery of wild fish numbers and the importance of their blue carbon contribution to ocean and climate stability. - Super trawlers and other large scale fishing vessels to be under review and strict control in all UK waters and methods of fishing to become low impact. - Interim measures to include a review of all existing commercial fishing agreements in MPAs and other UK waters to provide for time and zone management to rotate and ensure time to regenerate. - The Green Party will promote measures to prohibit destructive deep-sea fishing and will work towards a ban on high seas bottom trawling, and for proper implementation and enforcement under relevant international legislation. MC413 The Green Party will support increasing Surveillance and Punishment of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU) Illegal fishing is successful in UK waters due to a lack of at-sea monitoring, and the fines laid on caught transgressors are too small and often considered as “The cost of doing business” when fishing illegally. -Implement a drone reconnaissance unit under the Environmental Agency to reconnoitre and identify trawlers operating illegally in UK- controlled waters. Suspected vessels are then inspected by Navy or Marine Management Organisation. Drones offer a significant cost reduction compared to manned patrol boats and can cover larger distances more efficiently. -AI software can be used to quickly compare the details of the observed vessel with the MMO’s known blacklisted ships. Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 12 - Increase fines to charging a fee per ton of fish stock caught to make sure financial punishments are not fiscally survivable and chalked up to the “cost of doing business” AQUACULTURE Principle Industrial-scale fish farming is not the answer to dwindling fish stocks in the oceans. The majority of farmed finfish are carnivorous and therefore relies on further unsustainable fishing for feed. Intensive fish farming causes widespread pollution of inland and coastal waters and spreads disease to wild fish. It is also deemed cruel to contain fish in small spaces. However, there is a clear difference between industrial aquaculture in developed nations and the small-scale aquaculture practised in many rural communities. The latter can be sustainable and is an important source of food and income. Examples of this in the UK can be shellfish and seaweed farming. MC414 Farmed finfish such as salmon should not be given licence within England and Wales due to sustainability and cruelty concerns. Devolved nations may need to consider licences already in place. Moving from sea water to containers on land may improve situation for marine habitats but does not improve conditions for fish and becomes factory farming. 4.Marine Pollution Background. Despite increasing legislation aimed at preventing the dumping of waste at sea, pollution of UK waterways, beaches and seas has increased, in particular through Water Companies failing to invest and prevent sewage pollution but also through lack of political will and funding for the Office of Environmental Protection. Many chemicals, medicines, plastics, etc and other pollution go into water waste. Run-off from roads and agricultural also contaminate waterways and reach the sea. Plastic, chemical and industrial waste, impacts of shipping and other marine users must all be under scrutiny for harmful impacts and prevention and mitigation. Plastic, chemical and industrial waste, impacts of shipping and other marine users must all be under scrutiny for harmful impacts and prevention and mitigation Principles – The Green Party seeks to prevent pollution at source before entering our waterways and seas. Polluter pays and compensation needs to have the consequence of preventing further pollution. Scientific research and monitoring the impacts of pollution on human, wild species and habitat must be part of an effective strategy to improve environmental health along with methods to prevent pollution. (For overarching principles, please see the Pollution chapter. For more on agricultural runoff, see FA643 and CY525.) Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 13 Policies Nutrient pollution of waterways MC501 The Green Party will ensure water companies compensate for the pollution caused and urgently move away from short-term “end of pipe” solutions and invest in longer-term sustainable solutions. This could involve more holding tanks. MC502 Local Authorities and local NGOs to be given responsibility, power and funding to ensure all waterways achieve the best ecological status and hold water companies to account. Water Companies would have to invest in local sand regional solutions MC503 Increased monitoring of water quality and impacts of a range of pollutants to be part of regional river to sea improvements within waterways. MC504Agriculture run -off: Implement best management practices for agriculture to reduce nutrient runoff, including buffer strips, hedges, cover crops, and precision farming techniques. MC505 Wastewater Management: Upgrade wastewater treatment plants to remove nutrients more effectively and promote the use of green infrastructure to manage stormwater. MC506 Policy and Regulation: Enforce regulations on nutrient discharges and incentivise practices that reduce nutrient inputs into water bodies. Chemicals MC507 Ban the most dangerous chemicals: including PFAS/PFC’s except for essential uses like medical equipment, and incentives for safer alternatives. MC508 Adopt a ‘one-out, all-out ’approach: banning groups of chemicals with similar structures if one is proven dangerous. MC509 Prioritise research on chemical mixtures: Improve monitoring, and consider mixtures in safety assessments before market approval. MC510 Comprehensive monitoring of chemical pollutants: Support increased funding for the Environment Agency’s river and coastal monitoring program, is essential to understand their presence and impact on wildlife and human health. MC511 Industrial Discharges: Regulate and monitor industrial discharges to prevent hazardous chemicals from entering the marine environment. MC512 Pesticides and Herbicides: Promote sustainable agricultural practices, enhancing wastewater treatment, and encouraging the use of safer alternatives. Use less harmful alternatives to pesticides and herbicides to reduce the effect of chemical runoff from agriculture (riparian zones) MC513Monitoring Programs: Increase Environment Agency funding to establish much more comprehensive monitoring programs to detect and assess the presence of chemical contaminants in marine and coastal waters. MC515 Industrial pollution. Research will be undertaken alongside industries that abstract and discharge water, particularly into rivers, to determine which processes can be made “circular”. The objective would be to reuse water on site and not discharge to water bodies. Plastics and Marine Litter To address plastic pollution in water bodies, policies should focus on reducing plastic waste, improving waste management, and promoting sustainable practices. Blue Carbon Ecosystems (BCEs) like salt-marshes, and seagrasses forests, located at the land-ocean Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 14 interface, provide crucial ecosystems which intercept plastic waste. A systematic analysis identified four major research themes in BCE-plastics research: plastic trapping by vegetated coastal ecosystems, microbial plastic degradation, ingestion of plastic by benthic organisms, and effects of plastic on blue carbon biogeochemistry. MC516 Both plastic production and waste must be minimised and redesigned at source to be recyclable and non-harmful to aquatic environments. Local plans can ensure reduce, recycle reuse principles are in place and disposal places for litter and plastic near beaches. MC 517 Single-Use Plastics: Implement policies to reduce the production and consumption of single-use plastics through bans, taxes, and incentives for alternatives. Local coastal areas should take immediate measures to ban plastic bags. MC517 Plastic Waste Management:Improve recycling systems and waste management infrastructure to reduce plastic leakage into the marine environment. Implement robust monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with plastic pollution policies and regulations. This may involve monitoring plastic waste generation and pollution levels, enforcing bans on single-use plastics, and holding polluters accountable for illegal dumping or littering. It’s essential that all enforcement agencies are adequately trained, equipped and funded. MC518 Marine Debris from Fishing: Ghost Fishing Gear: Implement measures to reduce the loss of fishing gear and encourage the retrieval of abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear. MC519 Public Awareness Campaigns: Launch educational initiatives to increase public awareness about the impact of plastic pollution and promote need for change. MC520 Microbead use for packing in shipping must be banned. – Ref to microbeads on Galician coast 2023. The EU is considering a ban and international collaboration sought re packing in container ships. Microplastics Microplastics are tiny, ubiquitous plastic particles present in marine environments, composed of various polymers and additives that absorb substances from their surroundings, including pollutants. Due to their small they can be ingested by a wide range of marine organisms, posing significant threats to marine ecosystems. The risks are not just from the plastic itself but also from its ability to absorb and concentrate environmental contaminants, which can then transfer through food chains. Principles To control the spread of microplastics, international collaboration is going to be necessary. Developing global standards for microplastics in drinking water and household products, sharing best practices, and conducting research can help mitigate this growing environmental and health crisis. MC521 Source control:Regulate products that release micro plastics, such as certain personal care products and synthetic textiles. MC522 Wastewater Treatment: Enhance wastewater treatment technologies to capture micro plastics before they enter waterways. MC523 Domestic Protection: Introduce filtration systems to protect household water supply, washing machines and dishwashers Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 15 MC524 Monitoring: Support research to understand the sources, pathways, and impacts of micro plastics on the marine environment and develop monitoring programs to track micro plastic pollution levels. Pollution from Oil and Gas Production Background. Operational Spills and Leaks Routine offshore operations, drilling and production activities can release oil and other pollutants into the marine environment. Leakage during oil and gas transportation through pipelines is a major cause of environmental pollutants. Even relatively small spills and leaks during extraction, transportation, and storage can accumulate, significantly polluting marine life. Oil and Gas Pollution: MC525 Spill Prevention and Response: Strengthen regulations and prepare for oil spill and prevention, including mandatory planning for oil and gas operations. Consider measures to significantly reduce the pollution caused ongoing leaks and by the habitual use of venting and flaring. MC526 Decommissioning: Ensure that the decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure is conducted safely and with minimal environmental impact. MC527 Transition to Renewable Energy: Promote the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources to reduce the risk of pollution from oil and gas activities. Marine Transport – Commercial Shipping and Cruise Liners Principles and Background. The Green Party supports improving shipping to be more environmentally friendly as is preferred above air freight. Ocean Health Care presented ways through NHS procurement through container ships that show high environmental targets and standards. The aim was not just for carbon zero but nature positive. The Green Party is against the introduction of free ports and other economic zones where environmental and other regulations are lifted on the premise that this will bring future economic benefits to a region but causes environmental damage. Recent problems at Teesside resulted in marine ecosystem die off and collapse of local inshore fishery economy. The link to industrial chemicals being responsible was refuted by government agency research but in opposition to university and local knowledge of presence of industrial chemicals in crustaceans. MC600 Promote more kitemark environmental standards for cargo shipping and cruise liners and incentivise through procurement, responsible tourism, and regulation towards carbon zero emissions and nature friendly practices. Noise Reduction to allow for underwater communication of marine life to not be disrupted Speed reduction in protected areas as there can be many deaths of cetaceans with container ships hitting them. Review Cruise Liner environmental impacts. Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 16 MC601 The Green Party would ensure national regulations for all ports in the UK to follow the highest standards and regulations to protect marine environments. MC602 To improve pollution from shipping the Green Party will introduce and strengthen the following standards and regulations Ballast Water Management: Implement regulations to control and treat ballast water discharges to prevent the introduction of invasive species and pollutants. Leaks and Spills: Polluters should be held responsible and penalties introduced for improper handling of fuels and chemicals during transport, loading, and unloading. Emissions Control: Enforce regulations on ship emissions to reduce air and water pollution from shipping activities, including sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Encourage the transition to cleaner electric vessels Waste Disposal: Strengthen regulations on the disposal of waste from ships, including sewage, garbage, and hazardous substances. Dredging Background There are four main different types of dredging. 1. Dredging for aggregates to be used as building material or for beach replenishment. 2. Dredging harbours and river estuaries for navigational purposes and to establish deeper channels for new freeports. 3. Dredging for the purpose of putting new structures in the sea such as wind farms, cable laying or harbour extensions 4. Trawling Dredging in particular where there is known industrial waste from ship building and the (Teesside Freeport) led to a motion passed at conference on more detailed analysis of water quality and traces of chemical pollutants. MC700 The system for assessing the environmental impact of dredging harbours and river estuaries for navigational purposes must be reviewed to assess whether this system can be improved to protect the marine environment. MC701 Monitor regularly and improve analysis of water for industrial chemicals in marine environments particularly near ports and developments on industrial waste land to prevent problems of chemical pollution for fisheries, ecosystem die off and human welfare. MC702 Waste disposal at sea from dredging is the least protective of the marine environment in the OSPAR nations. The Green Party would ensure much higher levels of protections and investigation into pollutants within dredged materials improved. MC703 Dredging for aggregates in Marine Protected Areas, Special Protected areas, and Special Areas of Conservation and in areas adjacent to them must be phased out. Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 17 5. Marine and Coastal Communities and Partnerships Principles The Green Party will continue to support and enhance the development of Coastal Partnerships and Forums in order for local communities and local authorities to have ownership over decisions and challenges faced. MC800 The Green Party will support Coastal and other regional partnerships with rivers and links to the coasts to improve environmental, economic, cultural connectivity and wellbeing. ‘Monmouthshire is a coastal community, but its estuary location means that it is often not viewed as such. Coastal local authorities around the UK are working hard to bring about a brighter future for the communities we serve. We work to boost local economies, improve community health and wellbeing, and to protect and enhance local biodiversity. We know that the health, wellbeing and prosperity of coastal communities is dependent on a clean, healthy and productive marine environment – yet too often we consider these issues separately, rather than thinking about it in a joined-up way.’ MC801 The Green Party will seek ways to support a range of coastal communities and economies in pursuit of sustainable goals and livelihoods and with the protection and restoration of UK marine ecosystems as fundamental. The Sussex Kelp Project and Weald to Waves are good examples of this. Coastal Erosion and Sea Level Rise MC 802 The Green Party will give coastal Local Authorities a lead role in developing plans to adapt to sea level rise and the coastal erosion caused by climate change. Local Authorities will be given powers and resources. ● to review and assess the adaption plans of all major local infrastructure such as electricity, supply, water, transport etc within their area. Their assessment will be reported to Climate Change Commission and government. ● To monitors of key indicators coastal climate change such as coastal erosion and flooding. ● To develop adaption pathways. In developing these pathways local authorities will different stakeholders in deciding both the trigger points for action and the actions. ● Add planning requirement at national level to avoid building (except for marine / riparian businesses that require water access) on areas that would require flood protection over the next 100 years, taking into account predicted sea level rise and changes in precipitation due to climate change. [the 100 year timeline is used by the Environment Agency when planning flood defence schemes] . Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 18 Renewable Offshore Wind and other energy – (for review) Principle Prior to the development of any marine energy structure an Environmental Impact Assessment must be carried out. This should show impact and mitigation for marine ecosystems and migratory and other bird flight paths. It should also include the evaluation of environmental risks of seabed subsidence and the traffic of vessels to and from the platforms, that may result in environmental degradation, and plans for dismantling and disposal of rigs and associated equipment. Aspects of development of wind energy and tidal will be in energy chapter and Marine and Coastal points relate to environmental concerns. MC803 We currently know relatively little about the sea bed, except that its biology is extremely diverse and its physics can be stormy. Therefore, installations should not be dumped or abandoned at sea. As a matter of principle, operators should expect when constructing an installation, that they will be later responsible for completely removing it. The Green Party will put in place retrospective conditions within the licensing agreements for oil and gas blocks which would allow the closure of individual wells. MC804 All British marine energy and offshore wind companies will be required to meet at least the same standards as required in British waters when they are operating elsewhere in the world MC805 Much tighter environmental controls will be applied to the oil and gas industry where it still exists, and we will require all oil and gas companies to establish an integrated Environmental Management System. MC806 The Green Party is in favour of harnessing the potential of tidal energy at estuaries subject to environmental and sustainability criteria being met. 6. Access to Coast and Coastal Waters – Recreation and Health Benefits, Education and Opportunities Principles Access to blue space has a positive impact on human health and wellbeing, whether from walking along a river or coastline, wild swimming, or taking part in water sports such as paddling, rowing, sailing or motor boating. Such access needs to be balanced with the mitigation of the environmental impacts of such activities. Education about marine life, ecosystems, climate challenges, fishing, boating can provide knowledge that ensures protection of these spaces, resilience for adaptation and activities and opportunities for work, skills, and better health. Policies Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 19 MC900 Tourism in coastal areas should be both responsible and sustainable bringing benefits to local communities and those visiting. Tourism and Heritage chapter defines principles and practice and includes the heritage and protection and monitoring of wrecks off the UK shores. MC901 Beaches and coastal areas should conform to the highest standards of water quality and shoreline cleanliness, with an aim to achieve and maintain 100% Blue Flag beaches around the coast of England and Wales. MC905 The focus on bathing beaches and the bathing season does not reflect the wide range of water-based activities that take place year-round in the UK. The Green Party would seek to define a category of “recreational waters” that would need to be kept as free of pollution as possible to support healthy enjoyment. M906The Green Party will promote the use of wind and electricity-powered vessels over those which are highly energy intensive and use fossil fuels (see TM062). MC907 With regard to recreational fishing, the Green Party will seek to end the practice known as ‘live baiting’ (where live fish are used as bait for other fish) as soon as possible. Barbed hooks and double and triple hooks will also be banned, because of the damage and distress caused to fish by their use. MC908The Green Party notes the (often fatal) injury caused to other wildlife by discarding lead shot/weights and will make the use of any lead in angling illegal. MC909 Discarded fishing tackle presents a risk to marine wildlife and is costly to clean it up. We will encourage anglers to use best practice with regard to the disposal of tackles, and will introduce fines for those breaching best standards. An accreditation scheme for angling clubs will be introduced to bring all clubs up to best practice. MC910 A National Code of Conduct for anglers will be drawn up after discussion with interested parties (including angling clubs and associations, environmentalists and the Environmental Agency) that can be displayed on angling licenses and also prominently displayed in other appropriate places, including accredited angling clubs.( Proposal for national code of conduct with specific sections for different recreational bodies) Recreational Boating Recreational boats should be considered as a separate category to commercial marine and inland vessels. They are used intermittently and last many decades, typically 40-60 years for boats larger than a dinghy. It is estimated that only 2-2½% of boats are replaced each year. Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 20 Policy needs to align with this long life and to focus on maintaining the existing fleet rather than seeking solely to regulate new build. MC911 Recreational boaters will be supported to make the switch from fossil fuels to sustainably powered propulsion and on-board systems through research and the encouragement of the provision of suitable shore-side facilities. MC912 Marinas and boatyards will be required to provide suitable, well-maintained and affordable pump-out facilities to enable recreational boats to dispose of grey and black water. A corresponding regulation will require the fitting of holding tanks on boats that have on-board toilets and a subsequent ban on discharge of black water closer than 3nm from land. ` MC913 In order to address the increasing levels of heavy metals and biocides in river and estuarine water columns and sediments, the recreational boating industry will be encouraged to switch to modern antifouling and anode protection systems. MC914 Impacts on coastal habitats, particularly anchoring in sensitive seabed locations. We recognise the attraction of quiet, remote locations for boaters. Examples such as the Studland Bay Marine Partnership will be used to encourage the roll out of mitigations including advanced mooring systems to prevent on-going damage of seagrass, maerl and other sensitive habitats while allowing continued access to these beautiful sites. MC915 End-of-life boats. Most recreational boats, at all scales, make extensive use of fibre reinforced plastics. There is currently no UK system for dealing with recreational boats at end-of-life. The Green Party would address this through applying the Extended Producer Responsibility approach by applying a levy to new boats to contribute funds to the setting up of a network of proper disposal points. It is recognised that some public funds would be required to supplement this initially, given the lack of current facilities MC916 The French government have a free service for recycling end of life boats which the UK could look to emulate. Once declared unfit for purpose, old boats are transported at the owners’ expense to a dedicated recycling centre. Once there, boats are stripped to separate material parts. These separated materials would include metals, wood, electronics and fibreglass and could potentially cover the cost of the stripping service or potentially turn a profit when these materials are sold on to recyclers. In the UK dedicated recycling points could be Marinas, marine technician workshops, popular ports and port companies and shipwrights Education Marine and Coastal Draft Voting Paper 21 Education and awareness of the impact of climate change on coastal communities will be needed in order to understand climate adaptations and the funding and actions needed along the different types of coast line. Education to understand marine biodiversity and the role of nature in mitigating climate change will provide background knowledge and skills needed for various roles in many occupations. ( Tourism, Fishing, Waste Management) MC915 Local authorities and schools should promote learning about our coastal heritage, culture, communities and ways to create sustainable livelihoods living along the coast. Young people should be given knowledge about our human impact on coastal ecosystems, marine life and carbon sequestration as part of a climate and nature curriculum. Young people should be given experiences of visiting coastal areas and exchanges with those who live there. All people should have opportunity of life-long learning and with respect to coastal communities learning skills including re boats, fishing, our fishing heritage, marine ecosystem monitoring, protection of beaches. Apprenticeships in local fishing economy both onshore and offshore Coastal water skills of sea swimming, lifeguard, lifeboat, sailing and skipper training, Skills centres for related work in fishing, tourism and other industries
Last updated on 2024-09-08 at 15:20