Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Marine Nature Recovery Framework

Share Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Marine Nature Recovery Framework on Facebook Share Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Marine Nature Recovery Framework on Twitter Share Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Marine Nature Recovery Framework on Linkedin Email Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Marine Nature Recovery Framework link


Photo: Crawfish and wrasse by a rocky reef supporting a plethora of other invertebrate life (Matt Slater)


Our Coasts and Seas in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

The sea is at the core of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly identity, and foundational to our fishing industry and communities. Our marine waters and seabed are also an ecological hotspot. The coastline is dominated by rocky reefs, with exposed shores in the north and more sheltered shores in the south. It is dotted with estuaries hosting rich muddy habitats and stunning maerl beds – the Cornish equivalent of a coral reef. Below low water, the open coast meets grey seal populated sea caves, saline lagoons and seagrass beds. This covers a mix of muddy, rocky and sandy habitats continuing below the mean low water mark – including artificial habitats on historic wrecks. From seaweeds to seabirds, these areas host diverse and important wildlife. Nearshore habitats cover a mix of open seas, islands like St. Michael’s Mount with rare lower plants, and the seas host a rich mix of species – from large migratory fish and shellfish, to seafans, jellyfish, turtles, seahorses, basking sharks, molluscs and large mammals like dolphins.

Photo: Atlantic grey seals hauled out to rest (Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust)


Marine Nature Recovery and Why We Need it

Nature in Cornwall is not as healthy as it seems. Cornwall’s first State of Nature report highlights key trends for our species and habitats within a generation and finds that Cornwall mirrors the national picture regarding the health of our coasts and seas. It illustrates that our waters are in long term decline with pollution, bycatch and other fishing data, population trends, habitat loss, and animal strandings data all showing worrying trends. In addition, Cornwall’s Environmental Growth Strategy (EGS) reporting shows, 34% of Cornwall’s inshore (0 –12 nm) waters are within a designated MPA. Therefore, locally the government ambition to protect a third of seas by 2030 (the so called 30x30 target) has already been exceeded. However, in 2021 just 8% of the inshore seabed was under positive management, resulting in environmental growth.


What is the Marine Nature Recovery Framework

To help nature at sea to recover, Cornwall Council are working to develop an evidence-based, voluntary Marine Nature Recovery Framework (MNRF) with support from Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Nature Partnership (CIOSLNP) and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Marine and Coastal Partnership (CIOSMCP), building on all the feedback from local people about the importance of our marine and coastal wildlife.

This new Framework will align with and compliment the statutory terrestrial Local Nature Recovery Strategy which is due for consultation this autumn, enabling us to take an integrated approach around the coastal boundaries of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It will also act as an overarching strategy for marine nature recovery projects, enabling coordinated delivery and knowledge sharing whilst identifying additional opportunities for investing in our natural capital.



Photo: Crawfish and wrasse by a rocky reef supporting a plethora of other invertebrate life (Matt Slater)


Our Coasts and Seas in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

The sea is at the core of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly identity, and foundational to our fishing industry and communities. Our marine waters and seabed are also an ecological hotspot. The coastline is dominated by rocky reefs, with exposed shores in the north and more sheltered shores in the south. It is dotted with estuaries hosting rich muddy habitats and stunning maerl beds – the Cornish equivalent of a coral reef. Below low water, the open coast meets grey seal populated sea caves, saline lagoons and seagrass beds. This covers a mix of muddy, rocky and sandy habitats continuing below the mean low water mark – including artificial habitats on historic wrecks. From seaweeds to seabirds, these areas host diverse and important wildlife. Nearshore habitats cover a mix of open seas, islands like St. Michael’s Mount with rare lower plants, and the seas host a rich mix of species – from large migratory fish and shellfish, to seafans, jellyfish, turtles, seahorses, basking sharks, molluscs and large mammals like dolphins.

Photo: Atlantic grey seals hauled out to rest (Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust)


Marine Nature Recovery and Why We Need it

Nature in Cornwall is not as healthy as it seems. Cornwall’s first State of Nature report highlights key trends for our species and habitats within a generation and finds that Cornwall mirrors the national picture regarding the health of our coasts and seas. It illustrates that our waters are in long term decline with pollution, bycatch and other fishing data, population trends, habitat loss, and animal strandings data all showing worrying trends. In addition, Cornwall’s Environmental Growth Strategy (EGS) reporting shows, 34% of Cornwall’s inshore (0 –12 nm) waters are within a designated MPA. Therefore, locally the government ambition to protect a third of seas by 2030 (the so called 30x30 target) has already been exceeded. However, in 2021 just 8% of the inshore seabed was under positive management, resulting in environmental growth.


What is the Marine Nature Recovery Framework

To help nature at sea to recover, Cornwall Council are working to develop an evidence-based, voluntary Marine Nature Recovery Framework (MNRF) with support from Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Nature Partnership (CIOSLNP) and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Marine and Coastal Partnership (CIOSMCP), building on all the feedback from local people about the importance of our marine and coastal wildlife.

This new Framework will align with and compliment the statutory terrestrial Local Nature Recovery Strategy which is due for consultation this autumn, enabling us to take an integrated approach around the coastal boundaries of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It will also act as an overarching strategy for marine nature recovery projects, enabling coordinated delivery and knowledge sharing whilst identifying additional opportunities for investing in our natural capital.


  • COIS Marine Nature Recovery Framework

    Share COIS Marine Nature Recovery Framework on Facebook Share COIS Marine Nature Recovery Framework on Twitter Share COIS Marine Nature Recovery Framework on Linkedin Email COIS Marine Nature Recovery Framework link

    The development of our COIS Marine Nature Recovery Framework (COIS MNRF), in partnership with the CIOS Marine and Coastal Partnership (COIS MCP), is now in its final months, working towards an early summer 2025 public consultation deadline.

    A series of seven workshops, attended by a total of over 65 experts from various disciplines, took place in December 2024 to build the marine priority chapters. Key outcomes of the workshops included the removal of blue mussels and cod from the priority list after much discussion and debate. The reasoning for these decisions were as follows;

    1. Blue mussel populations on intertidal and subtidal hard substrate reef are currently not considered under threat, plus they are a dynamic species which will expand and retreat in areas depending on exposure pressure. Sheltered intertidal mussels beds on softer substrate, often estuarine areas (such as those seen on the Exe estuary and some areas of the Tamar) are however an extremely stable and important habitat which deserves consideration and conservation. In Cornwall, however, we do not have extensive sheltered stable beds and it was decided that inclusion in the MNRF was not, at this stage, a priority. This may change in future revisions of the Framework.
    2. Western cod stocks have collapsed. Suggestion was made to remove cod due to its current status, as dramatic fisheries management is required to stabilise the situation before any regional efforts would support recovery. However, cod could be brought back into MNRF in a future iteration.

    The final list of marine priorities to include in the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Marine Nature Recovery Framework is;

    1. Seagrass
    2. Maerl
    3. Kelp reef
    4. Native Oysters
    5. Polychaetes in mud and reef
    6. Tuna
    7. Seals
    8. Cetaceans
    9. Sharks & rays
    10. Seabirds


    Aside from the changes to the marine priorities, significant changes and edits have been made to the priority statement (vision statements) for all the species and habitats, and both key pressures and measures have been agreed. These vary as expected, however the need for increased research and education are common measures for all the marine priorities. The next and final round of workshops will be held in February / March to specifically look at mapping for each priority including opportunity areas.

    The team will now be using the content of the workshops, including those held with stakeholders on the Isles of Scilly, to draft the Framework. Throughout the process, we will be cross referencing the COIS Local Nature Recovery Strategy which completed its public consultation phase as the start of January 2025, to ensure alignment. We will also continue to raise the profile of our fantastic marine environment and the Framework. Please do follow this page, and the social media accounts for our updates:

    - Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Nature Partnership (@cios_nature)
    Facebook(External link), Instagram(External link), LinkedIn(External link)

    - Cornwall Council (@cornwallcouncil)
    Facebook(External link), Instagram(External link), LinkedIn

  • LNRS launch, Building the Framework, and Pathway to Publication

    Share LNRS launch, Building the Framework, and Pathway to Publication on Facebook Share LNRS launch, Building the Framework, and Pathway to Publication on Twitter Share LNRS launch, Building the Framework, and Pathway to Publication on Linkedin Email LNRS launch, Building the Framework, and Pathway to Publication link

    This November 2024, we see the exciting launch of the public consultation for our Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). Over the next six weeks there will be a plethora of opportunities, both in person and online, for people to review and comment on this important statutory document which will guide action for nature recovery. As the Local Nature Recovery Strategy extends to the low water mark, we are encouraging our marine and coastal associates and partners, including you as a reader of this article, to engage with the consultation. In doing so, we can ensure that all intertidal priorities are well represented and that any actions on land, which may impact the sea in this maritime region, are documented. To find out more please check out A Nature Recovery Strategy for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly | Let's Talk Cornwall .

    Simultaneously to the LNRS launch, the team continue to be busy building the aligned and complimenting the Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Marine Nature Recovery Framework. A successful field trip to the Isles of Scilly took place at the end of October, where the team met with key stakeholders and discussed the inclusion of the Scillies as a case study within the Framework. In addition to this, yesterday, Tuesday 19th November 2024, Cornwall Council presented at the first Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Marine and Coastal Partnership (CIOS MCP) on the progress of the Framework to over 100 delegates from all marine and coastal sectors in our region.

    This winter the team at Cornwall Council, with support from the CIOS MCP, will be busy drafting the Marine Nature Recovery Framework, building the priority chapters (ten species and habitats identified for our region – maerl, seagrass, kelp reef, native oysters, mussels, polychaetes, seals, cetaceans, sharks & rays, and tuna & cod) with teams of specialists and experts via a series of workshops. We are also proposing the addition of seabirds to those ten priorities due to the global and national importance of the region for this group. The aim is to release the Framework for public consultation mid-May 2025, ready for adoption by the Marine and Coastal Partnership, the CIoS Local Nature Partnership, and Cornwall Council early autumn 2025.

    Until then, we will continue to raise the profile of our fantastic marine environment and the Framework. Please do follow this page, and the social media accounts for:

    - Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Nature Partnership (@cios_nature)
    Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

    - Cornwall Council (@cornwallcouncil)
    Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

  • Moving forward with the Marine Nature Recovery Strategy

    Share Moving forward with the Marine Nature Recovery Strategy on Facebook Share Moving forward with the Marine Nature Recovery Strategy on Twitter Share Moving forward with the Marine Nature Recovery Strategy on Linkedin Email Moving forward with the Marine Nature Recovery Strategy link

    Our voluntary Marine Nature Recovery Framework moves on with support from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Marine and Coastal Partnership (CIOS MCP), and this summer received the fantastic news that the work will be supported by funding through the Championing Coastal Coordination (3Cs) initiative being led by the Environment Agency.

    On the 16th September we held our third successful MNRF workshop with our marine working group which focused on marine priority mapping. The feedback was incredibly useful, highlighting the opportunities and challenges with the marine mapping element of the Framework, and will provide a strong basis for further discussion with expert groups this autumn.

    The team are now preparing for a successful trip to the Isles of Scilly during the week commencing the 14th October and are setting up a series of events and meetings to engage key stakeholders on the Islands with the Framework and get their feedback and input into its development.

  • Draft priority species identified

    Share Draft priority species identified on Facebook Share Draft priority species identified on Twitter Share Draft priority species identified on Linkedin Email Draft priority species identified link

    Cornwall Council are immensely grateful to everyone who has helped to shape the emerging Marine Nature Recovery Framework (MNRF) to date, from the nearly 3000 people who responded to earlier public and strategic Nature Recovery surveys to the network of local experts who have attended marine workshops over the past 6 months.

    As a result of the above engagement, the MNRF will now be focusing on the top ten marine priority list which will be subject to further consultation later this year. These are;

    • Cetaceans
    • Seals
    • Tuna & cod
    • Sharks & rays
    • Seagrass
    • Maerl
    • Kelp & reefs
    • Native oysters
    • Mussels
    • Polychaetes

    Now that we have identified these priorities, we are focusing efforts on mapping existing areas which are important for these species and habitats and, if possible, opportunity areas where we can all focus our efforts to help maximise recovery.

    If you have any issues or questions about the MNRF and the process of its development, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Nature Recovery Team at grow-nature@cornwall.gov(External link).uk.

Page last updated: 15 Jan 2025, 04:02 PM