The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has launched England’s first draft marine plans for the seas from Flamborough Head in Yorkshire to Felixstowe in Suffolk.

The public consultation was announced to Parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement from Natural Environment Minister Richard Benyon.

The government says there will be 10 marine areas by 2021 to organise the activity in our seas which, they say are getting busier. They cite the 95 per cent of all exports and imports to the UK being brought in by sea, the fact that the UK has more offshore wind turbines than the rest of the world put together and that 95 per cent of digital information comes to us via submarine cables.

They say that 100,000 jobs will be created by 2030 in capturing carbon and burying it underwater and that the sea-bed is now a Spaghetti Junction of phone cables, carbon fibre cables, and turbine cables. Dodging the infrastructure are the nets of fishing boats hauling £1 billion worth of fish ashore annually.

Yachtsmen and other ‘leisure users’ bring in £1 billion worth of cash to the UK economy, so we do have a voice and they want to hear it. You have until 8 October.You can submit your comments to planning@marinemanagement.org.uk