Identification of Sites for Habitat Creation

The MMO has identified, through stakeholder engagement (as part of marine planning) and through internal engagement and analysis that there is a need to increase the amount of evidence in relation to: a) creating a publicly available, national dataset showing the type and location of sites with potential to become significant habitats. This dataset would be able to be integrated into existing information systems, to show where these sites may be. This project would look to recommend ways to keep this dataset up to date in a cost-effective and timely fashion b) using this information and an analysis of existing policy and delivery initiatives to assess what role there may be for marine planning and marine licensing in either safeguarding these sites or advising applicants of their existence, in relation to individual applications. This has been highlighted as an issue by stakeholders through marine planning stakeholder engagement and independently is something the marine conservation team had identified as a need. The intended result is to try and improve the environmental policy provision in marine plans and contribute more to environmental protection, whilst helping the economy to flourish.