National Marine Parks

Making Waves: Join the Movement for the UK’s First National Marine Parks

With over 30,000km of coastline, the UK is home to an incredible array of unique coastal and marine habitats. We have some of the richest coastal waters on the planet. Beaches, seagrass meadows, rocky reefs, saltmarshes, sand dunes and beyond; they’re a space for adventure, a vital home for nature, and key to our survival. 

Our National Parks tell the story of our nation, with each landscape a chapter showcasing the most beautiful and best of the UK. But as an island nation with a long-standing maritime history, the sea is notably absent from this story. While 9 of the 15 National Parks include some coastline, only one – Pembrokeshire Coast – is primarily designated for its coastal landscape, comprising almost all of the coastline and offshore islands. But even here, the jurisdiction of the Park Authority stops at the shoreline. Unlike many National Parks around the world, Britain’s do not yet include the sea. 

At Campaign for National Parks, we believe that the sea is a critical gap in the National Park story. Some of our most important habitats and the pressures across land, coast and sea can only be managed by considering our interconnected ecosystems as a whole. By connecting people to the sea, we could revolutionise how the public view the ocean, enhance people’s access and enjoyment, and improve management to revitalise both nature and our coastal communities. That’s why we’re campaigning for the UK’s first designated National Parks at land, coast and sea, and supporting the exploration of voluntary National Marine Parks. 

What is a National Marine Park?

National Marine Parks are expansive areas of sea, coast and land; seascapes of national importance. The aim of a National Marine Park is to connect people with the sea. Like a National Park on land, their purpose is to enhance wildlife, conserve cultural heritage and promote public understanding, access and enjoyment. They also offer a crucial role in supporting climate resilience and regenerating coastal communities.    

We believe that National Parks in the UK should be able to exist across land, coast and sea. This would mean enabling our existing 8 coastal National Parks to extend into the sea, and for all new National Parks in the future to include the sea from their beginning. This would still be an area that is legally protected, forever, and supported with Government funding and a public body set up to ensure these purposes are delivered. 

Beyond legislated routes, there are many ways to progress National Marine Park status. In Plymouth, communities have taken things into their own hands. In 2019, the council and people across the city came together to declare Plymouth Sound as the first National Marine Park. Supported by a National Lottery grant of £11.6m and the support of the City Council, this community-led initiative embodies the spirit of National Parks (if not the legal designation). It is forging a new relationship between the city and the sea, with a ranger service encouraging people to become ‘Marine Citizens’, fostering care and behaviour change.

How we’re working to make National Marine Parks a reality

In 2023, we joined with Blue Marine Foundation alongside others to produce a framework for taking forward National Marine Parks.  In 2024, Campaign for National Parks picked up the mantle in the quest to establish National Marine Parks in the UK, as part of a new partnership with Blue Marine and Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, and thanks to funding received from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. 

 In 2024, we appointed a National Marine Parks Lead to undertake the next phase of development work for National Marine Parks. Across this year, the project aims to:    

Increase awareness, appetite and interest in National Marine Parks

The National Marine Park Alliance is a growing, inclusive UK network for the open exploration and development of the UK’s National Marine Park vision. You are welcome to get involved and can join the Alliance.

Join the alliance

Secure political support for progressing National Marine Parks

The newly-established National Marine Park Political Champions network seeks to raise the political profile of National Marine Parks nationally across UK Governments, and locally throughout Councils. 

Further our collective understanding on how National Marine Parks could deliver for nature and communities.

By collating evidence and conducting new research, we are gathering insights that will aid in the steering of our work and broader development of National Marine Parks.

There’s clear evidence that the way National Parks are managed and governed needs real reform to deliver more for nature and to ensure these places are inclusive and representative of the nation. Through the National Marine Parks vision, we are presented with an exciting opportunity to reimagine National Parks across land, coast and sea and reform governance arrangements to unlock greater outcomes for people and nature. By working closely with existing National Parks, National Landscapes, community groups, politicians and broader stakeholders, we will build momentum for nature recovery on land, as well as at sea, and continue to collectively evolve our vision for National Marine Parks in the UK. 

Hero image: Pembrokeshire Coast © Zoe Turner