The Marine Stewardship Report
The
Marine Stewardship Report (MSR), which was published on 1 May
2002, sets out the Government's vision for clean, healthy, safe,
productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas.
The Report commits the Government to
a framework of new initiatives that will enhance marine nature
conservation, conserve biodiversity, improve management of our
marine resources and develop scientific research to help Government
make more informed policy decisions.
Action being taken includes the
pilot scheme in the Irish sea, as the next stage of the Review of
Marine Nature Conservation.
The Government will be consulting on
a proposal to publish the second MSR in the form of the State of
Our Seas report. This will not only assess the state of the seas
around the UK but will also assess progress made in delivering our
vision at a holistic level. This report is aimed to be published in
late 2004 following completion and assessment of the Irish Sea
pilot project, which was set up to determine the limits of existing
marine nature conservation and identify whether an ecosystem-based
approach to marine nature conservation will work. Further reports
will be published at regular intervals, roughly every three
years.