The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has announced plans to replace its current marine case management system (MCMS) with a new platform. The new service will introduce enhanced security features, improved user guidance and new digital tools designed to streamline the marine licensing process. It aims to provide greater efficiency and long-term stability for licensing procedures. The transition will occur in phases over the coming months, with different types of licensing applications migrated sequentially to maintain service continuity.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has launched a consultation on proposed fishing management measures across 42 marine protected areas (MPAs) in English waters. The proposals include four new regional byelaws that would: (1) ban the use of bottom towed gear across approximately 30,000 km2; (2) prohibit the use of traps across 860 km2; and (3) prohibit the use of bottom set nets and lines across 300 km2. The byelaws, covering the Eastern Channel, Irish Sea, North Sea, and Western Channel and Southwest regions, would replace all previous MMO MPA byelaws. This consultation forms part of Stage 3 of the MMO’s wider project to manage fishing activities in all English offshore MPAs and focuses on seabed features in MPAs that are not yet protected by existing MMO byelaws. The consultation closes on 1 September 2025.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has issued a new bylaw prohibiting the use of bottom towed fishing gear, protecting marine life in a further 13 English offshore marine protected areas (MPAs). There are 181 MPAs within English water, which are critical in protecting threatened habitats and species and boosting the move towards a sustainable fishing industry. The bylaw will come into force on 22 March 2024.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has launched a call for evidence on the impacts of marine non-licensable activities and anchoring on protected habitats and species in England’s inshore marine protected areas (MPAs). The MMO is seeking evidence from people and organisations that use, study or have knowledge of MPAs within 12 nautical miles of the English coast. The call covers: (1) anchoring; (2) diving and snorkelling; (3) hovercraft; (4) motorboats; (5) motorised personal watercraft; (6) paddle sports; (7) sailing; (8) wildlife watching at sea and (9) wind sports. MMO has published draft Impacts Evidence documents covering benthic sediments and associated species, birds, seals and otters and reef, with a further document covering seagrass beds, maerl beds, seahorses and stalked jellyfish, supported by methodology and summary documents. Responses will be used to refine the evidence base, address evidence gaps and inform site-level assessments of whether management measures are required. The call for evidence closes on 25 November 2026.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has published guidance documents on the use of marine plans in decision making, including marine licensing applications. The guidance documents include: (1) hypothetical examples of marine plan use with practical direction on complying with section 58 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009; (2) an overview of common issues arising in marine plan policy assessments; (3) a marine planning guide explaining the marine planning system, including how marine and land-use planning interact and integrate and (4) the Severn Estuary cross-border marine planning guide outlining marine planning policies and considerations relevant to the Severn Estuary.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has published guidance explaining how it assesses and manages marine non-licensable activities that may affect protected features in marine protected areas (MPAs) within 12 nautical miles of the English coast. MMO reviewed potential impacts across all 168 inshore MPAs and identified 98 that may be vulnerable to impacts from marine non-licensable activities and require further screening. Where screening indicates that marine non-licensable activities may be affecting protected features, MMO will undertake a more detailed site assessment to determine whether activities could prevent or hinder an MPA from meeting its conservation objectives, taking account of available evidence and Natural England advice. The assessment will take account of the available evidence and advice from Natural England.  Where management is considered necessary, MMO may use proportionate measures including managing access or activity areas, designated access points, signs, voluntary codes or agreements, engagement with local users, wardens, MOMO byelaws and permit conditions. The activities, protected features and effectiveness of management measures will be monitored, with measures capable of being retained, changed, replaced or removed where supported by the evidence and permitted by the relevant legal process.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has published guidance on protecting and restoring seagrass beds in England. It explains that seagrass provides habitat for marine wildlife, helps protect coasts and stores carbon, but has declined because of pollution, coastal development, disease and physical disturbance. To limit further damage, the MMO advises people using coastal waters to avoid anchoring on seagrass where it is safe to do so, use suitable moorings that reduce contact with the seabed and follow voluntary no-anchor zones. It says existing beds should be protected and the causes of damage addressed before restoration begins. Collecting seagrass or installing restoration equipment may require a marine or wildlife licence, or advice from Natural England.

On 1 May 2026, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) published a new guidance document entitled 'Marine Licensing Top Tips' to help applicants prepare and progress marine licence applications more smoothly. Developed through the Ports Sandbox with partners from the ports sector and the UK Major Ports Group, this resource brings together practical advice, shared learning and key information from across the licensing process, from pre-application engagement through to determination. Supported by a pre-application engagement decision tree and process flowchart, this guidance highlights the importance of early engagement, clear communication, proportionate evidence and regular contact with the MMO and consultees, and aims to reduce uncertainty, increase transparency and help applications move through the system more efficiently.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has secured its first successful prosecution under the Marine Protected Areas Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw 2023. On 2 May 2025, at the Newcastle Magistrates’ Court, the master of a French-registered vessel, Christoph Gouy, pleaded guilty to using bottom-towed fishing gear in a prohibited area of the Offshore Brighton Marine Conservation Zone in April 2024, along with other related offences. The court imposed fines, a victim surcharge, and costs, totalling over £40,000, on both the vessel’s master and owner. The byelaw, which came into force on 22 March 2024, prohibits the use of bottom-towed fishing gear in 13 marine protected areas to protect vulnerable marine habitats and species.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has varied the deemed marine licences contained in Schedules 3 and 4 to the Morgan Offshore Wind Project Generation Assets Order, with the variation effective from 7 October 2026. The order was granted by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on 22 September 2025 and included deemed marine licences under section 149 of the Planning Act 2008. The variation follows a request from Morgan Offshore Wind Ltd, received on 28 September 2026, to change the disposal site reference in Parts 1 and 2 of Schedules 3 and 4 and also updates the MMO’s head office address in Part 1 of those schedules.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) have published guidance on UK requirements for activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). The MMO sets out when a marine licence may be required for activities carried out or controlled by UK persons, or carried out from British vessels, aircraft or marine structures. Some activities may be exempt based on their environmental impact, although the MMO must confirm whether an exemption applies. Defra and FCDO have also published guidance on requirements relating to marine genetic resources and related digital sequence information under the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026, with more detailed guidance to follow. Defra and FCDO also explain that the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement’s Conference of the Parties may establish area-based management tools, including marine protected areas, which may restrict or control activities within defined areas. No such tools or related measures have yet been proposed or established.

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