Agenda item

To consider the notice of motion submitted by Councillor Francomb.

Councillor Francomb moved and Councillor Fabry seconded a motion as set out on the agenda, ‘Motion for the Ocean’.

It was highlighted that the motion was the fifth in a series of water quality motions passed by Lewes District Council, and this was based on the LGA model coastal special interest group for a holistic approach to ocean recovery.  It was noted that there were fourteen and a half km of coastline in the district and approximately half of the residents of Lewes District lived in coastal town areas, but that it had an impact the quality of life of all residents.

The motion was debated and received support from across the Council.  It was hoped that a methodology could be found to measure the impact of the actions contained in the recommendations.

The motion was put to a vote and approved unanimously.

RESOLVED –

That this Council declares an urgent need for Ocean Recovery and pledges to:

1.    To ensure that key strategies, including the Council’s Climate and Nature Strategy, puts ocean-based and nature-based solutions at the heart of a carbon neutral and climate resilient future.

2.    Ensure that local planningseeks to support ocean recovery by focusing on green and blue infrastructure for nature recovery across the local plan area, working with partners including East Sussex County Council and Sussex Wildlife Trust.

3.    Work with partners to deliver increased sustainability in marine industries and develop a sustainable and equitable ‘blue economy’ that delivers ocean recovery and local prosperity, including East Sussex County Council, Sussex Bay, The Living Coast, the local fishing industry, the Reimagining Newhaven Board overseeing the ‘Capturing the value of the catch’ project, Sussex IFCA and the Marine Management Organisation.

4.    Work with Sussex College group to continue to build on its work embedding sustainable marine and maritime training at the heart of training provision as well as with technical / apprenticeship training providers where appropriate and increase understanding in the role our oceans and rivers can play in sequestering carbon.

5.    Promote opportunities to grow ocean literacy and marine citizenship in our district, including via our website and social media, and seek to promote sustainable and equitable access to the sea for all residents.

6.    That the Leader writes to the Government asking it to seek to put the ocean into net recovery by 2030 by:

a)   Ensuring Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities have the resources they need to effectively research and monitor our growing number of marine protected areas, and to set and enforce appropriate fishing levels that support local economies and deliver environmental sustainability.

b)   Working with coastal, estuarine and maritime communities to co-develop marine policy to ensure it delivers equitable and sustainable outcomes in local placemaking.

c)   Appointing a dedicated Minister for the Coast.

d) Embedding ‘ocean and civic literacy’ into the national curriculum.

e)   Stopping 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 and support the solutions needed to address the threat posed by historic coastal landfill sites.

f)     Improving the water quality of our rivers, estuarine and coastal waters leading to the ocean to benefit nature and the health and wellbeing of all UK residents, including by stopping the regular pollution of our rivers and seas.

g)   Optimise the potential to gain multiple benefits from coastal ecosystems including tidal marshes and seagrass meadows, and use marine ecosystems to absorb and sequester greenhouse gases through the carbon cycle.

h) Optimise the potential to develop off-shore wind farms and marine renewable energy (hydrokinetic energy) in harmony with the natural environment; and.

i)    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.