About the MMO

The MMO is an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) established and given powers under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. This pioneering Act brought together for the first time key marine decision-making powers and delivery mechanisms.

The MMO has incorporated the work of the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) and acquired several important new roles from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Department for Transport (DfT). It is also taking on some entirely new and cutting edge functions, most notably marine planning.

The establishment of the MMO as a cross-government delivery partner therefore marks a fundamental shift in planning, regulating and licensing activity in the marine area with the emphasis on sustainable development.
The MMO has a wide range of responsibilities, including:

implementing a new marine planning system designed to integrate the social requirements, economic potential and environmental imperatives of our seas
implementing a new marine licensing regime that is easier for everyone to use with clearer, simpler and quicker licensing decisions
managing UK fishing fleet capacity and UK fisheries quotas
working with Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) to create and manage a network of marine protected areas (marine conservation zones and European marine sites) designed to preserve vulnerable habitats and species in UK marine waters
responding to marine emergencies alongside other agencies
developing an internationally recognised centre of excellence for marine information that supports the MMO's decision-making process.

A number of Governments Departments have a strong interest in the work of the MMO and it is therefore sponsored jointly by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), DECC, DfT, Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is accountable to Parliament for the MMO, a responsibility she exercises on behalf of the other sponsoring Departments.

The MMO has approximately 240 staff. Its headquarters are in Newcastle Upon Tyne and it has 18 coastal offices.

The MMO is led by a Chair and a Board of up to 8:

Derek Langslow (Interim Chair)

Jayne Scott (Interim Deputy Chair)

Rodney Anderson

Richard Birmingham

Robert James

Jeremy Loyd

Jane Ryder

Nigel Reader

Useful Links

For further information on the MMO or its role please refer to the web page at http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/

For further information about Defra and its aims please refer to the web page at http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/what/

Details of the other sponsoring bodies can be found via the following links:

DECC http://www.decc.gov.uk/

DfT http://www.dft.gov.uk/

CLG http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate

MoD http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/Home/