Agenda item

To inform the Committee of the concerns relating to the health of the ocean and request that the Committee consider making a recommendation to Council to declare an urgent need for ocean recovery.

Ms Clare Nolan-Barnes, Head of Coastal and Environmental Partnerships and Mr Robert Snape, Low Carbon and Sustainability Officer, provided the Committee with a report that informed it of concerns relating to the health of the ocean. The report requested that the Committee consider making a recommendation to Council to declare an urgent need for ocean recovery.

Councillor Jane Hugo, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment advised the Committee of the local authorities who had already declared an urgent need for ocean recovering using a locally adapted resolution and provided a summary of the recommendations that would enable the Council to carry out work in partnership with the fishing industry, the community and residents.

Resolved:

That the Tourism, Economy and Communities Scrutiny Committee recommends that Council declares an urgent need for ocean recovery as follows:

1.      Report to Full Council within 12 months on the actions and projects that will begin an ocean recovery in Blackpool.

2.      Embed ocean recovery in all strategic decisions, budgets, procurement and approaches to decisions by the Council (particularly in planning, regeneration, skills and economic policy), aligning with climate change mitigation and adaptation requirements, and considering ocean-based solutions in our journey towards a carbon neutral and climate resilient future.

3.      Ensure that local planning supports ocean recovery, working closely with the Marine Management Organisation to embed strong links between the Local Plan and the Blackpool Marine Plan to support ocean recovery.

4.      Ensure that the Blackpool Blue Green Strategy strives to support ocean recovery.

5.      Work with partners locally and nationally including our continued involvement with the Turning Tides Partnership to deliver increased sustainability in local marine industries and develop a sustainable and equitable blue economy that delivers ocean recovery and local prosperity, including the local fishing industry and the vital work of IFCA in the North West.

6.      Grow ocean literacy and marine citizenship in the Blackpool, including ensuring all pupils are given the opportunity to have a first-hand experience of the ocean before leaving primary school – striving to include home-schooled children - and promote sustainable and equitable access to the ocean through physical and digital experiences for all residents.

7.      Create an online portal on the Council website to update on ocean recovery progress, signpost to ocean literacy development opportunities, and marine citizenship pledges.

8.      Write to the Government to put the ocean into net recovery by 2030 by:

a.      Working with coastal communities to co-develop marine policy to ensure it delivers equitable and sustainable outcomes in local place making.

b.      Appoint a dedicated Minister for Coastal Communities.

c.       Stop plastic pollution at source by strengthening the regulations around single-use plastics and set standards for microfibre-catching filters to ensure that all new domestic and commercial washing machines are fitted with a filter that captures a high percentage of microfibres produced in the wash cycle.

d.      And by listening to marine and social scientific advice to update the Marine Policy Statement and produce a national Ocean Recovery Strategy which will:

i.               Enable the recovery of marine ecosystems rather than managing degraded or altered habitats in their reduced state.

ii.             Consider levelling up, marine conservation, energy, industrial growth, flood and coastal erosion risk management, climate adaptation and fisheries policy holistically rather than as competing interests.

iii.           Develop a smarter approach to managing the health of the entire ocean that moves beyond Marine Protected Areas and enables links to be made across sectors towards sustainability.

iv.           Establish improved processes for understanding the benefits of ocean recovery, leaving no doubt the links between this and human lives, livelihoods, and wellbeing.