Our campaign for National Marine Parks in Britain

Despite having 30,000 km of coastline and some of the richest waters on the planet, Britain has no national parks in the sea. The UK’s existing National Parks on land were created in the post-war era and today make a significant contribution to rural economies. The 10 National Parks in England generate as much as £4 billion , attracting 90 million visitors each year, and supporting 140,000 jobs. National Parks on land cover almost a quarter of the area of England and Wales.

Blue Marine has led a national conversation to evolve the concept of National Marine Parks since 2018, when we ran a national conference in Plymouth that ended with the agreement that Plymouth should declare a marine park. 

In 2023, a National Framework on marine parks was endorsed by national and local advocates, with guidance produced by Blue Marine that outlines five principles: 

• sustainability 

• connectivity  

• fundability  

• lifelong learning  

• equity and inclusion 

At a parliamentary event in 2023 organised by Blue Marine, Campaign for National Parks and the Local Government Association, all political parties were asked to make a commitment to National Marine Parks part of their General Election manifesto. See our asks here.    

 Our journey so far has shown that there is widespread support for extending existing or creating new National Parks to include the sea, either through current legislation or through voluntary declaration by coastal communities. 

Scotland in particular holds great promise. In August 2021, the Scottish Government committed to introducing at least one new National Park before the next Scottish election in 2026.   

Reports

• A National Framework and Guiding principles
• Guidance for National Marine Park Evolution
• A Coastal and Marine National Park in Your Area? A briefing for Scottish Communities
• A legal review of the National PArks and Access to the Countryside Act (1949)
• National Marine Parks – Our Asks
• National Marine Parks Newsletter

Since 2018, Blue Marine has promoted the concept of National Marine Parks, whose establishment could revolutionise the way the public views the ocean. Marine parks would not just promote access to the sea and the enjoyment it offers, but also support local economies and protect the nation’s seascapes for a sustainable future.