Skip to main content
Policy paper

East Marine Plans: fourth three-year report

Three-year progress report on the East Marine Plans covering the period 2 April 2023 to 1 April 2026.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Marine Management Organisation
Published
14 July 2026

Applies to England

Documents

Three-year report on the East Inshore and East Offshore Marine Plans (2 April 2023 to 1 April 2026) - accessible PDF

Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-6727-2, E03644787

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 195 KB, 10 pages

Order a copy

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This report reviews the progress made in meeting the aims of the East Inshore and Offshore Marine Plans and the UK Marine Policy Statement. 

The East Marine Plans’ inshore area has a coastline that stretches from Flamborough Head in Yorkshire to Felixstowe town in Suffolk. The offshore area covers from 12 nautical miles out to maritime borders with the Netherlands, Belgium and France. The East Marine Plans were adopted on 1 April 2014. 

The East Marine Plans are 20 year plans, so it is important that they are regularly assessed. As with all marine plans, the East Marine Plans are monitored and reviewed every three years, looking at the: 

  • effects of policies in the marine plan 

  • effectiveness of those policies in securing plan objectives 

  • progress towards achieving any objectives set out for that region in a marine plan and the Marine Policy Statement

Replacing the East Marine Plans 

The third three-year report on the East Marine Plans was published in 2023. It recommended replacing the East Marine Plans. This recommendation was agreed by the then Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.  

The 2026 report shows no new evidence to change the recommendation to replace the Plans, and supports the recommendation of the second and third three-year reports. 

 Following advice from the Marine Management Organisation, the Plans will continue to be replaced.  

Replacing the Plans:  

  •  improves how they meet the goal of “clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas”  

  • helps consider the challenges and opportunities that the competing demands on our seas bring 

The MMO began the formal process of replacing the Plans with the publication of a Statement of Public Participation on 22 April 2024. Adoption and publication of the East Marine Plan (and supporting documents) is currently planned towards the end of 2027.  

Marine planning 

Marine planning is the approach to managing the seas around England introduced by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. There are 11 marine plan areas in the UK. Marine plans are intended to: 

  • inform and guide marine users and regulators 

  • manage the sustainable development of marine industries, such as wind farms and fishing 

  • help conserve and protect marine species and habitats 

Marine plans contribute to the UK having clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas.

Updates to this page

Published 14 July 2026

Sign up for emails or print this page