COIS Marine Nature Recovery Framework

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)
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- Cornwall Council (@cornwallcouncil)
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