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Comprehensive study of UK seas published today
Issued by the News Distribution Service on behalf of the United Kingdom Marine Monitoring & Assessment Strategy
The most authoritative assessment ever on the state of the UK
seas has been published today.
Charting Progress 2 is the result of a five-year study into
how human use and other pressures, such as climate change, are
affecting our seas. It draws on evidence gathered by scientists
from marine agencies, research institutes, universities,
environmental organisations and industries around the UK. All the
evidence has been peer reviewed by national and international
scientists.
The report looks in detail at how climate change has
increased sea levels and temperatures and what impacts that change
is having on the marine environment; the changes in the habitats
and species in our seas; levels of pollution; and marine
industries impacting on marine ecosystems.
The top findings from the report are:
• Sea levels have risen by 14cm during the last century and
surface temperatures have increased by one degree centigrade since
the late nineteenth century;
• Populations of seabirds and harbour seals are declining in
some areas;
• Fish stocks have improved but many are still fished unsustainably;
• Many estuaries are cleaner and this has increased the
diversity and number of fish species;
• Contamination by hazardous substances (such as heavy
metals) has reduced in most regions and there are few or no
problems relating to radioactivity, eutrophication, or algal
toxins in seafood;
• Litter, particularly plastic, was found on all beaches
surveyed as well as in the sea and on the seabed;
• Marine industries, contributed £47 billion to the economy
in 2008; and
• The main pressures on the marine environment are damage to,
and loss of, habitat on the seabed from fishing and the presence
of physical structures.
Marine Environment Minister, Richard Benyon said:
“Charting Progress 2 is the most comprehensive report on the
state of the UK marine environment ever undertaken. Our seas are
three times the size of our land and yet while we have many
reports that tell us what is happening to our land, we have little
to inform us about the state of our seas.
“The UK has one of the world’s richest marine environments
with over 8000 species from whales to sponges. This report allows
us to monitor our progress and prioritise what action government
and business need to take to achieve clean, healthy, safe,
productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas.”
Charting Progress 2 has been prepared by the UK Marine
Monitoring and Assessment Strategy (UKMMAS) community.
Defra
and the Devolved Administrations are members of UKMMAS, which
includes over 40 organisations ranging from government agencies
responsible for managing and monitoring our seas to industry and
environmental groups.
Notes to editors
1. Copies of the full report and overview
are at chartingprogress.defra.gov.uk
2. The Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP)
prepared the climate change chapter for Charting Progress
3. The formation of MCCIP was a key recommendation of the
first Charting Progress (2005) report and it has since become
established as the key forum for transferring scientific evidence
on marine climate change to marine stakeholders in the UK. MCCIP
published its 2010/11 annual report card on 15 July, see www.mccip.org.uk/arc
4. For further information please contact Defra press office
on 0207 238 5391
Contacts:
NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the above department
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk