Sea Views magazine #2

Vol. 2 Winter 22/23

SEA

VIEWS magazine

SPECIAL FEATURE

Ports and Harbours Spotlighting how marine licensing supports the development of ports and harbours

The Expert’s Take A glance at the world of marine licensing from Lindsey Mullan

Home Shores

The south-west: engaging with partners and others

Major Milestones From a super-sewer to the world’s largest offshore wind farm

...ambitious for our seas and coasts

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

Welcome

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elcome to the second edition of Sea Views. A Marine Management Organisation (MMO) magazine for you - our customers, partners and other stakeholders. The magazine provides a glimpse of some of MMO’s recent work to develop our seas and coasts for the benefit of generations to come.

This edition provides a focus on the southwest marine plan area in our regular ‘Home Shores’ feature. This includes an overview of how our marine officers are working with partners and stakeholders in Plymouth and beyond.

We provide an ‘expert’s take’ on the topic of marine licensing and discover more about the important economic role of ports and harbours to the country and local communities. And we have kept with the licensing theme to look at how our MMO team has worked innovatively and efficiently with Thames Tideway - a major infrastructure project often referred to as London’s ‘super sewer’. Plus, there’s also details of our role in the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

Photo by Ryan Booth on Unsplash

I hope you enjoy reading our second edition. The editorial team would love to hear your feedback, so do get in touch and let us know your ideas for any future topics you would like to read about in this e-magazine.

Contact our team on: communications@marinemanagement.org.uk Until the next time.

Hilary Florek Chair, MMO Board

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Contents 04

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Home Shores

Engaging with partners and others

The Expert’s Take

A glance at the world of marine licensing SPECIAL FEATURE

Ports and Harbours Spotlighting how marine licensing supports their development

Going Underground The London Thames Tideway ‘super sewer’

Hornsea Two

Major milestone for the world’s largest offshore wind farm

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

Protecting our seas - MPA

Home Shores south-west A rich seafaring heritage and a centre for diverse marine activity.

MMO’s area of responsibility spans the entirety of England’s coastline. In our ‘Home Shores’ series we take a closer look at the special features of a particular area and how we engage with stakeholders, partners and local communities. In this edition we focus on the south-west…

Photo by Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash

Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

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he south-west, with its rich seafaring heritage, is a major hub for the fishing and seafood industries and remains a major centre for diverse marine activity. It is a near-perfect microcosm of the vibrant marine life and exciting commercial potential that England’s waters have to offer.

Our Marine Plan for the south-west, developed with stakeholders and partners, covers around 2,000 kilometres of coastline stretching from the River Severn border with Wales to the River Dart in Devon. This is the longest of any of England’s marine plans and encompasses around 16,000 square kilometres of sea. It also contains England’s only deep-sea habitat with depths of more than 200 metres. The Isles of Scilly, an archipelago off the coast of Cornwall, is also included in the marine plan area.

MMO’s role in the south-west, as it is across the country, is to work with stakeholders and customers to ensure a balance is achieved between making the most of the sea’s potential and protecting marine ecosystems.

Sara Wordley, an MMO Marine Engagement Officer based in Plymouth, said:

“We are particular advocates here in the south-west of building relationships with all marine users; from the visitor, fisherman and marine licence applicant right through to non-government organisations and conservation groups.

“Everyone is important to us. We value the expertise that customers, partners and stakeholders can bring to the management and sustainability of the marine environment. We use our networks to observe, listen and learn. This helps us achieve our collective aims and to protect our precious marine life.

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“We are working on a diverse range of projects in Devon and Cornwall which includes supporting a partnership seagrass restoration project and working with a group of organisations to reduce marine wildlife disturbance at sea.”

Biodiversity and marine protection The diverse environment found in the south-west marine area supports a myriad of species both native and migratory to the waters. Around 40 percent of the global grey seal population call the south-west of England their home, sharing the shorelines with common seals, and the deeper waters with other marine mammals.

Frequently spotted species include the common dolphin, the common bottlenose dolphin, the harbour porpoise and even minke whales.

Diving deeper into the south-west waters you’ll find that the region hosts a variety of shark species with the top three locations to see them in UK waters being Cornwall, Scilly Isles, and Devon.

The area is also a popular hot spot for migratory basking sharks and the critically endangered Angelshark also resides in these waters.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust, alongside other organisations in the county and the MMO, recognise that coasts and seas are getting busier with an ever-growing water recreation industry.

After the death of a rare inshore bottlenose dolphin from a tourist boat strike, the Cornwall Marine and Coastal Code Group (CMCCG) created a toolkit to help reduce wildlife disturbance at sea.

From creating a Code of Conduct to producing leaflets and presentations, the partnership also holds a database to understand distribution and trends of wildlife disturbance across Cornwall.

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

Abby Crosby, from the Cornwall Wildlife Trust and chair of the CMCCG, said:

“We recognise that marine wildlife disturbance is becoming one of the greatest threats to marine megafauna in Cornwall, particularly cetaceans, seabirds and seals.

The CMCCG is an example of strong partnerships making a real difference to the conservation of our coasts. The group uses its collective experience and knowledge to take important action with minimal resources.”

In Devon, the Plymouth Sound and Tamar Estuaries Marine Protected Area (MPA) hosts some of Europe’s most threatened marine species and habitats.

MMO is a member of the well-established Tamar Estuaries Consultative Forum (TECF) which is a partnership of organisations and local authorities with statutory responsibility towards the management of this MPA. TECF and its advisory groups – the Port of Plymouth Marine Liaison Committee (PPMLC) and the Wembury Voluntary Marine Conservation Area Advisory Group (WAG) – provide an effective and collaborative framework for managing this Marine Protected area whilst recognising the commercial, defence and recreational importance of the site.

Making the most of the seas’ potential The region is at the forefront of projects to harness the recreational and educational opportunities the marine environment provides and to develop offshore wind capacity to combat reliance on fossil fuels.

The UK’s first National Marine Park is at Plymouth Sound. Local stakeholders have come together to develop their vision which seeks to give space for marine wildlife, people who love the waters, business and enterprise – and research for the future.

One of the main aims of this pilot project is to encourage greater community engagement with the marine environment.

Elaine Hayes, Interim Chief Executive of Plymouth Sound National Marine Park said:

“The unique waters of Plymouth Sound have been instrumental in shaping our city, it’s culture and heritage.

“The declaration of a National Marine Park for Plymouth is a huge step forward in ensuring that we can work together to deliver a truly sustainable future for the Sound, for the city and for its citizens. We hope that the park will provide a roadmap for others to follow.”

There are currently two proposed floating wind test sites within the waters of the south-west marine plan area. One is at a site off the coast of Cornwall, and the other off the coast of Devon and Cornwall.

If licences are issued and the projects go ahead, these sites would provide key information on the feasibility of floating offshore wind. Results of such studies would be highly informative for multiple marine stakeholders as they would give insight into the environmental, economic, and social implications of utilising floating offshore wind, including factors such as physical impacts to the seabed and local and migratory species.

The projects would also shine a light on the social and economic implications for local coastal communities including job creation for the site building and maintenance, but also in ensuring infrastructure can meet energy production and demand in the form of suitable port facilities and the electricity grid.

Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

National Marine Aquarium

Plymouth on the water

Find out more: MMO’s Marine Plan for the south-west can be found on our website

Smeaton’s Tower, Plymouth by Jay Stone

Rockfish Plymouth

Tamar Bridge by Jay Stone

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

The Expert’s Take A glance at the world of marine licensing From schemes to help prevent coastal erosion to large-scale projects for offshore wind to generate clean energy, the impacts and benefits of marine licensing decisions are wide-ranging and far-reaching. We delve behind the scenes with Lindsey Mullan, Marine Licensing Senior Case Manager, for some expert insight into MMO’s marine licensing role.

QUESTION

Tell us about marine licensing and your job role “The Marine Licensing team is responsible for regulating development in English inshore and offshore waters. The team manages everything from Sample Plans to inform dredge and disposal schemes to providing expert input into Development Consent Orders (DCO) for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP).

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“The team regularly work on licences related to construction, maintenance, dredging and disposal. This work is required by several industries such as offshore renewables, marine aggregates, flood defence schemes as well as general coastal development. We have recently licensed habitat enhancement works at three separate locations on the Tyne Estuary and works along the River Wear to create an intertidal terrace to encourage saltmarsh plants to grow. Though these are small projects, they demonstrate the types of activity we consider daily.”

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“I am one of six Senior Case Managers in the Licensing team. We are responsible for stakeholder engagement with our respective industry areas, senior sign off on complex cases, managing our teams, and internal and external delivery partner liaison.”

QUESTION

What type of marine licences do the team deal with?

Image courtesy of BMAPA

Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

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Lindsey Mullan

QUESTION

What are the challenges for marine licensing / marine development?

“The seas are getting busier. Spatial competition, the varied interests of legitimate users of the sea, and pressures on marine resource is a challenge we are beginning to face. The marine environment is unique in that it can support different development types at once across the seabed, water column and surface, but proper planning and management of this is needed. As a regulator, we need to work with industry to ensure we are working to implement the policies set out by the Marine Plans as the best way of managing and mitigating this challenge. There are also other partners, such as The Crown Estate, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and Natural England, that we continue to liaise with as we deliver licensing decisions which support the natural environment and the economy.”

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QUESTION

What key things do you need to consider when deciding marine licences?

“As a regulator the MMO must have regard to the environment, human health and legitimate users of the sea when making our licensing determinations. The decisions we make seek to support coastal industries whilst protecting the natural environment.

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“When assessing marine licensing applications we consider the project against the Marine Plans, the impacts of the works on the natural environment, matters related to water quality, waste management, and the impacts to human health. In doing this we ensure that the decisions we make support the government’s aim for clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas. We balance this with the drive for net zero, supporting communities at risk of coastal flooding and engaging with individual customers to support smaller domestic projects.

“We encourage all customers to use our preapplication advice service which offers guidance before a marine licence application is submitted, helping to ensure an application is as fit for determination as possible.”

QUESTION

How does marine licensing fit into the bigger picture?

“Although it is becoming more challenging to manage a busy marine environment, it is also exciting to think about the future of the UK’s seas and coasts. Public interest in marine matters and environmental protection is increasing. This is driving the need for both public and private action to look after our natural resources and being a critical part of that provides focus and inspiration for MMO as a whole.

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

“Across government there are mechanisms such as the Environment Act 2021, the potential introduction of Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) and, not forgetting on the land, the Nature Recovery Network all working to achieve the aims of the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. In addition, renewables such as offshore wind, form part of the British Energy Security Strategy which aims to achieve clean and affordable energy for the long term.

“Being a part of achieving these broader aims and knowing the work we do now will sustain future generations, is both humbling and invigorating.”

Image courtesy of Van Oord / BMAPA

Find out more •

Our marine licensing team aim to deliver timely, cost proportionate and evidence-based decisions, providing excellent customer service through a user-friendly system. Detailed information about applying for a marine licence and contact details for our Marine Licensing team can be found online: www.gov.uk/mmo

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Why not read the latest marine licensing update in our blog?

Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

Collaborating with industry groups Many different individuals, groups, communities and businesses rely upon the sea. Engaging with our customers and stakeholders is vital to understanding the different needs of marine industries and sectors.

Seabed User and Developer Group (SUDG) The SUDG represents a wide range of industries working in the marine environment. Last year, a well-attended and well received two-day Marine Industry Conference and Exchange took place for group members and MMO officers involved in marine planning and licensing.

City of London, Image courtesy of BMAPA

Manson Thames, Image courtesy of BMAPA

Peter Barham MBE, SUDG Chair, said:

“We are an informal grouping whose participants have a common interest in sustainable development within the UK’s marine environment.

Image courtesy of BMAPA

We believe that sustainable win-win solutions are possible from what are sometimes seen as competing needs.

The 2022 conference and exchange gave delegates the chance to explore the challenges faced both now and in the future, and provided a good discussion on what industry would like to see from a regulator.”

Image courtesy of BMAPA

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

The British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA) The BMAPA is the representative trade body for the marine aggregate industry and represents 11 member companies.

Collectively members are responsible for over 80 percent of the 20 million tonnes of sand and gravel typically extracted from licensed areas off the England and Welsh coasts each year.

Mark Russell, Executive Director – Planning, said:

“BMAPA has coordinated development of a range of good practice initiatives to ensure industry is always innovating and leading from the front. These include guidance on assessing coastal impacts and the marine historic environment, and the development of processes to support more effective decisionmaking, such as voluntary regional environmental assessments and monitoring programmes.

“Importantly, these initiatives will often be developed with our stakeholders, including MMO, The Crown Estate and statutory advisors.”

Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

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The British Ports Association (BPA) The British Ports Association (BPA) represents the interests of over 100 port members, covering more than 400 ports, terminal operators and port facilities.

Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy and External Affairs, said:

“We look forward to working with confident and knowledgeable partners and regulators, including MMO, to support government and industry’s shared ambitions for the marine sector to meet the industry’s demand in coming years.

“We would like to continue to engage with MMO to see a cost effective, fast, permissive licensing system that supports and enables sustainable development.”

Photo by Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

SPECIAL FEATURE

Ports and Harbours In this special feature we spotlight how marine licensing supports the development of ports and harbours and provide an overview of this sector’s contribution to the economy.

Photo of the Port of Lowestoft, courtesy ABP

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orts and harbours are hives of activity. There’s the hustle and bustle of vessels dropping off their cargo, loading and unloading, refuelling and then the transfer of all kinds of goods and materials onto their next destination. As an island nation, ports and harbours are essential to the UK’s economy - vital to businesses and coastal communities.

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Marine licence granted for major port development in Lowestoft

The UK ports’ sector is one of the largest in Europe and is estimated to directly employ over 100,000 people. According to the British Ports Association, the UK port industry handles almost 500 million tonnes of freight each year, as well as over 60 million internal and domestic passenger journeys.

In December 2021 MMO granted a marine licence to Associated British Ports’ (ABP) £25 million development of Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF). Collaboration and joint working have supported the go ahead of this major project at the Port of Lowestoft which is operated by ABP.

Ports and harbours come in all shapes and sizes and serve a range of markets. Whatever their size, they are major providers of employment within their areas, and through leisure activities such as yachting, many contribute to their local economies in other ways.

The Port of Lowestoft handles around 7,000 vessel movements per year and together with ABP’s other two East Anglian ports, King’s Lynn and Ipswich, contributes £360 million to the economy and supports 5,300 jobs. The Port of Lowestoft has also emerged as a thriving centre for companies servicing the offshore energy industry.

Positioned between land and sea, ports and harbours are either in or close to valuable ecosystems. Therefore, they must actively manage the balance between environmental sensitivities, commercial operations and leisure activities for all to successfully co-exist.

Marine licensing As England’s marine manager, MMO’s mission is to protect and develop our seas, coasts and communities for the benefit of generations to come.

Our marine licensing services enable sustainable development through the licensing of a range of activities vital to maritime infrastructure and operations.

ABP worked closely with MMO and other statutory bodies for the consent for LEEF which will deliver state-of-the-art port infrastructure to assist in meeting the offshore energy industry’s current and future demands. Once complete, the facility will allow the Port of Lowestoft’s Outer Harbour to accommodate the next generation of offshore support vessels.

The LEEF project will create additional quay space and berthing capacity, new infill land and a deeper harbour approach to accommodate larger vessels offering flexible operations with direct quayside access; and the site will also benefit from shoreside power, while retaining fish landing sites. Project LEEF constitutes a major investment to support the ongoing transformation of the town.

This includes ports and quay constructions as well as dredging requirements, including the deposit of suitable material to sea.

When activities and projects receive consent, our role doesn’t end there as post-consent monitoring, inspections and enforcement of any marine licence also falls under MMO’s responsibility.

Project LEEF image courtesy ABP

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

Tom Duit

Harbour Orders MMO also processes applications for Harbour Orders in England - a delegated function from the Department of Transport (DfT). Statutory Harbour Authorities (SHA) are governed by their own individual Acts or Orders. Harbour Revision Orders (HRO) are laid before Parliament, they update SHA’s local legislation so ports and harbours can be improved, maintained and managed, essential for SHAs to regulate their jurisdictions and meet their open port duty.

Tom Duit is the Port Operations Manager, responsible for safely managing the day to day running of the port as well as implementing and delivering on ABP’s strategic plans for the port. He said:

“LEEF is an ambitious and complex project requiring multiple consents including both a marine licence and planning permission from the local planning authority.

A Coastal Concordat was identified as a solution to provide a framework to support better decision making and coordination between the main regulatory bodies and coastal planning authorities.”

Adam Chumbley, MMO Marine Licensing Manager, said:

“Our role in licensing marine development is to provide solutions that protect the sea and deliver environmental, economic and societal benefits.

This project really shows the value of collaboration and joint working in ensuring these aims are met.”

One example of a HRO made by the MMO is the St Ives (G7 Summit) Order in 2021. This HRO was necessary to extend the harbour limits of St Ives in Cornwall, for a temporary period to enable the safe management of harbour activities in the area during the G7 world leaders’ summit.

MMO has made 11 HROs since the beginning of 2021. The HRO process can take over 12 months, depending on the nature and scale of the proposals.

Views from The UK Harbour Masters’ Association

Ashley Nicholson

Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

Ashley Nicholson MBE, Marine Director at Port of Tyne, is the President of the UK Harbour Masters Association. Formed in 1993, this unique professional body consists of harbour masters, port marine operations officers, harbour managers, commercial bodies that serve the port sector and other organisations. Ashely said:

“There is great opportunity for UK ports and harbours of all sizes as the world changes to accommodate new technology, sustainable and alternative energy provision and as a global maritime trading nation, whilst facilitating massive growth in maritime recreational leisure.

“We also believe in protecting and growing our traditional maritime industries, such as the commercial fishing industry, who remain a key stakeholder for many UK harbours.

They greatly contribute financially and culturally to their communities and should be fully supported in their endeavours.”

Photo by Kate Joyce on Unsplash

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Did you know?

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There are three ownership categories of ports: private, municipal and trust.

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Ports and harbours are represented via three main professional / trade associations: British Ports Association, UK Major Ports Group and the UK Harbour Masters Association.

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ABP, East Suffolk Council and MMO were finalists in the Royal Town Planning Institute 2022 national awards for the LEEF project in the ‘Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy’ category.

Find out more You can find further information online • • •

LEEF’s marine licence news story Harbour Orders guidance Detailed marine licensing information.

Photo by Ian Taylor on Unsplash

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

Going Underground The London Thames Tideway ‘super sewer’

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By Shaun Nicholson, Head of Strategic Marine Licensing

ondon’s sewer network was built 150 years ago and dates back to the Victorian period. It was developed for a population of four million people, less than half the size of the nine million population that exists today.

To address the water quality problem, a Development Consent Order (DCO) for the Tideway Tunnel project was granted in 2014 by both the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Given the city’s growth, the existing system is under pressure and cannot cope with the volume of sewage during periods of high rainfall. This leads to effluent going into the River Thames through combined sewer overflows.

The DCO for this major infrastructure project includes a ‘deemed marine licence’ and therefore falls within MMO’s licensing remit. The marine licence is required as the works are in the tidal Thames and have marine elements including dredging and construction in the marine area. The DCO allows the construction and operation of a £4.2 billion wastewater transfer and storage tunnel, several connection tunnels, and other associated works.

It is estimated the Thames receives about 40 million tonnes of raw sewage every year – the equivalent to the volume of 40 Wembley stadiums. This is a significant source of pollution in the river which impacts water quality, the local environment, and users of the Thames.

The ‘super sewer’ when operational will intercept raw sewage and transfer it to the Beckton Sewage Treatment works, where sewage will be treated prior to discharge. This will greatly improve the water quality, creating a cleaner and healthier River Thames.

Tunnel boring machine Ursula - courtesy of Tideway London

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In 2015, MMO entered into a four-way commercial agreement - a developer-funded model with a dedicated team based in London and embedded within the developer’s offices. This allows MMO to oversee the licence approvals needed for the tunnel construction.

The innovative way of working means that our licensing team are best placed to respond to challenges as they arise at each site. The arrangement has also led to efficiencies on the ground for the contractors building the tunnel and MMO’s knowledge of major projects has been greatly enhanced.

Photo courtesy of Tideway London

The commercial agreement was a novel way of working and our London-based team has used their expertise to ensure that the approvals needed for construction proceeded in a timely manner using evidence-based decision making. The working arrangement has also helped build relationships with both the developer and other river regulators and greatly enhanced our reputation.

The construction phase of the project is now close to completion. Earlier this year a major milestone was reached when the Tideway team officially marked the end of the tunnelling phase of the project.

To find out more about the super sewer visit:

www.tideway.london

Photo courtesy of Tideway London

Did you know?

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MMO has issued over 149 licence applications and 203 consent variations.

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The Tideway sewer tunnel will be 25km long when finished and wide enough in places to drive three double-decker buses through it.

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Tunnel construction started in 2016 and the project is expected to be finished in 2025.

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

Winds of change Major milestone for the world’s largest offshore wind farm

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ocated nearly 90km off the Yorkshire coast, Hornsea Two offshore wind farm became fully operational recently. It will be able to meet the electricity needs of more than 1.4 million homes per year and brings the opportunity for economic growth in the Humber region.

Covering nearly 500sq km of the North Sea, Hornsea Two is located next to the Hornsea One wind farm. In addition, the developer Ørsted has two further projects earmarked for this area.

Offshore wind is helping to bring low carbon power to the UK and MMO has a key role in offshore wind development, supported not only through our Marine Licencing team but also our Strategic Renewables Unit.

We undertake planning and consenting for offshore wind, taking account of environmental, social and economic considerations, with regard to navigational safety and other activities at sea.

Photo by Nicholas Doherty on Unsplash

Hornsea Two facts •

165 turbines delivering 1.3GW of renewable electricity

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Most of the blades were produced locally in Hull

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390km of subsea export cables take the power generated from Hornsea Two to the shore at Horseshoe Point in Lincolnshire

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Development Consent Order was granted by the Secretary of State in 2016.

Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

Licensing process overview Our responsibility for the marine licensing process is throughout the key stages of the progression of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). MMO is responsible for monitoring, enforcing, varying and revoking deemed marine licences. We therefore play an important role in preapplication developer engagement as a statutory consultee.

This leads to a more formal role with MMO being an Interested Party during Public Examination hearings where we respond directly to Examiners’ questions.

Post consent, we approve detailed construction, monitoring and decommissioning plans, to ensure the project is carried out as consented. During all stages we collaborate with both the developers, Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs) and other regulators.

Nature and environmental considerations Coast and inshore waters are protected by a range of environmental designations and we work closely with SNCBs, such as Natural England and JNCC, throughout the consenting process for offshore wind projects. Renewable energy developments are seen as a key part of efforts to combat climate change and are important to the Government’s energy security strategy.

As with all development, the impact on the environment must be managed and mitigated. A range of environmental assessments are required which consider the likely effects of a project on species and habitats of concern. For offshore wind developments these often have a particular focus on potential effects to marine birds and their Special Protection Areas (SPAs).

With the expansion in offshore wind there will also be an increase in subsea cabling activities. Hornsea Two makes landfall at Horse Shoe Point in Lincolnshire, which is part of the Greater Wash Marine Protected Area.

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This demonstrates that an ideal landfall site for National Grid connection can also be an extremely sensitive habitat. Various forms of development activities need to be licensed as part of the consenting process, to ensure the development is constructed in a sustainable way whilst protecting the environment. For example, one of the licence conditions for Hornsea Two was to restrict works during the over-wintering period to ensure birds are not disturbed.

As with all major projects there will always be challenges along the way. Sites evolve, legislation changes and MMO teams are responsive to new scenarios, often resulting in new ways of working.

One example of this is the 2019 designation of the Southern North Sea Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for the protection of harbour porpoise, three years after Hornsea Two was consented. When a new SAC is designated, MMO take account of new protections afforded to it.

For Hornsea Two, this involved working closely with SNCBs and industry to put in place a way of managing underwater noise. This helped to minimise cumulative noise impacts on harbour porpoise from various types of development activity associated with the project.

Paul Stephenson, MMO’s Senior Renewables Case Manager, said:

“We need to ensure we have healthy, productive seas and coasts. Enabling sustainable marine development is therefore about ensuring evidence-based decision-making, which balances the needs for green renewables whilst protecting our precious marine environment.”

Did you know? Ørsted is working with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust which has been commissioned to collect and plant seagrass seed across a 9.8 acres area of the Humber Estuary.

This pilot seagrass restoration project is expected to be completed by early 2023.

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Sea Views Magazine Marine Management Organisation

Photo by Philip Auld on Unsplash

Vol. 2 Winter 22/23

Head Office Lancaster House Hampshire Court Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7YH Tel: 0300 123 1032 Email: communications@marinemanagement.org.uk

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...ambitious for our seas and coasts