A razorbill. Credit: Kate Brown.
Britain's waters are teeming with unique and diverse marine life. Our Marine Protected Areas network are critical to safeguard our rare and threatened habitats and species and precious ecosystems.
However these protected areas are often the same spaces best suited for the offshore wind developments needed to deliver the Government’s Clean Power Mission and combat climate change. Finding solutions that adequately compensate for impacts to the Marine Protected Areas has too often slowed down consent decisions.
That’s why today, we’ve launched the new Marine Recovery Fund, creating a mutually beneficial partnership between clean energy development and environmental protection. Offshore wind development does not have to come at the expense of nature.
Strategic conservation at scale
The Marine Recovery Fund allows offshore wind developers to pool their resources into a government-managed fund dedicated to addressing the environmental impacts from offshore wind. Rather than each developer working in isolation to offset potential impacts to Marine Protected Areas, this strategic, landscape-scale approach delivers more effective environmental outcomes.
The Fund will deliver meaningful results. It will extend existing Marine Protected Areas and designate new ones, ensuring we continue to protect havens where benthic habitats can recover and thrive.
For seabirds, the Fund could tackle invasive predators like rats on breeding islands. Rat colonies can devastate nesting seabirds by eating eggs and chicks. Predator control programmes can help guillemot and razorbill and other seabird populations recover.
The Fund could also support innovative solutions like artificial nesting sites for kittiwakes. As natural nesting habitat comes under pressure, these specially designed structures provide safe breeding locations, helping to stabilise declining populations.
Gannet. Credit: Kate Brown.Unlocking clean energy and economic opportunity
This approach will to create substantial environmental benefits whilst unlocking up to 19 gigawatts of clean offshore wind power in the immediate term. That’ is enough electricity to power two cities the size of London, generated from wind rather than fossil fuels.
The Fund will help accelerate progress towards net zero commitments and strengthen Britain's energy security. For coastal communities, offshore wind represents significant economic opportunity, creating thousands of jobs for welders, engineers, cable-layers and maintenance crews in locations including Hull, Hartlepool and Grimsby.
By streamlining the planning process through pre-approved environmental measures, the fund helps developers progress projects more efficiently.
Delivering for nature and energy development
Britain's seas are both precious and resilient. With targeted support through initiatives like the Marine Recovery Fund, they will continue to support thriving populations of seabirds, marine mammals and fish for generations to come, all while helping to power our homes and businesses with clean, sustainable energy.
Offshore wind developers can now apply to secure seabed compensation from the Marine Recovery Fund. To apply or for more information, visit GOV.UK.
seen at 16:30, 17 December in Environment.