Marine Maritime Organisation

We have done some work supporting fishing communities and the development of economic development strategies for the use of EU funds for community development. In England this funding is overseen by a little known but important body – the Marine Maritime Organisation. This article tells you more:

Reforms to Arms Length Bodies as part of the attempts to improve accountability and reduce costs continues. Following abolition of the Commission for Rural Communities and the decision to keep Natural England and the Environment Agency as two separate bodies;  Defra is now consulting on the future of the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).  The MMO was established and given powers under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.  The agency is involved in setting up a marine planning system and a marine licensing regime, managing UK fishing fleet capacity and UK fisheries quotas, and managing a network of marine protected areas (e.g. marine conservation zones and European marine sites).

The consultation runs until 11 October and seeks to examine whether the MMO is discharging these functions effectively, whether it should continue to operate at ‘arms length’ from the Government and/or become a private or voluntary body. The MMO – which is headquartered in Newcastle?! – has certainly faced some strategic/financial challenges as well as difficulties engaging with the fishing industry. Defra is aiming to publish the conclusions of its Review in early 2014. Watch this space!