Marine Management Organisation

Year:	2014-2015
Location:	South coast of England, inshore and offshore areas
Sector:	Marine
Service delivered:	Sustainability Appraisal

ClearLead Consulting have provided technical direction to the consultancy team led by Ramboll Environ on the Sustainability Appraisal of the South Inshore and South Offshore plans being prepared by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The South Inshore and South Offshore areas are the third and fourth areas in England to be selected for marine planning. The South Inshore Marine Plan Area includes a coastline that stretches from Folkestone to the River Dart. The South Marine Plan areas include 10 coastal stakeholder partnerships and a significant number of major ports, and a high level of shipping density in the English channel. The area has significant shell fisheries, a high proportion of marine protected areas  and significant tourism and recreation, including a high level of marinas and boat-based activities.

Our staff have been involved in developing assessment methodolgies, facilitating stakeholder workshops and technical assessment work.  This involved firstly assessing a range of policy options grouped into a 'balanced option, a 'flexible option' and a 'prescriptive option'. More recently, our staff have been involved in assessing the draft plan. ClearLead staff have specifically been involved in the assessment of potential social and economic effects of the plan policies and options. The assessment of policy options provided information to help differentiate between and make choices about options to be taken forward into the draft plan. Mitigation measures have been put forward to improve the sustainability performance of the draft plan.