Marine Planning Issues with Supporting Evidence

Closes 27 Jan 2028

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Current Economy

The marine planning team have identified key issues for each marine planning sector within the economy theme group. The identification has been conducted through continuous policy monitoring since plan adoption (2014) and a horizon scanning exercise conducted earlier in the year.

We are keen to understand if these issues are of key significance within the marine environment, and if there are any other further issues attaining to these sectors.

Please note: the questions are not compulsory, if you do not wish to respond please leave them blank.

How to Upload Evidence

Each survey question provides you with an opportunity to upload any supporting evidence you are aware of / hold to support the issues discussed.

  • Files uploaded must be under 25 MB.
  • You can only upload one file per survey question.
  • If you require several pieces of evidence to be uploaded, please link to the available evidence within a word document and upload that.

To upload this evidence:

  1. Click on ‘Choose file’
  2. Search your documents for the required evidence
  3. Click ‘open’ to upload the evidence
  4. The document will appear to the right of the ‘choose file’ button once uploaded

To re-submit evidence, please click ‘clear file’ and follow the process above to re-upload.

Aggregates: do you agree with the issues identified for this sector below? If not, please leave the box unchecked.

  1. Areas which are currently subject to an Exploration and Option Agreement are protected through current aggregates policies. However, these areas may come under pressure from the increasing expansion of energy infrastructure to support energy security, and there is a continued need to safeguard such areas. 

  1. In light of weakened language in the National Planning Policy Framework, more support is needed for minerals and waste plans to protect existing and future safeguarded aggregates landing/processing sites, and to enhance marine and terrestrial integration. 

  1. The updated mapping of Key Resource Area is vital to the effectiveness of marine plan aggregates policies. The outputs from recent surveying in the region from the Humber to the English Channel are due to be published in 2024. 

Aquaculture: do you agree with the issues identified for this sector below? If not, please leave the box unchecked.

  1. The aquaculture licensing process is complex, which may present a barrier to new aquaculture developments. Additionally, the current marine licensing exemption on shellfish farming poses difficulties for monitoring the efficacy of marine plan policies. 

  1. Access to ports and harbours in the east inshore marine plan area may present a challenge to the aquaculture industry. Specific challenges include the size of some ports and harbours, a potential lack of integration with other industries (for example fisheries) and an absence of data on port infrastructure. 

  1. Water quality poses significant challenges for the aquaculture industry. For example, it can affect whether there are the right conditions for growth of various species, as well as limiting the export of shellfish (for example to the EU).

If you would like to include any supporting documents please do so using the file upload:

Please keep the files under 10MB

Please make sure your file is under 50MB