GovWire

The Annual Report and Accounts provides detail on the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) including our purpose, the key risks that we face in achieving our objectives, and how we have performed during 2022/23.

Commenting on the report and performance during 2022/23, Michelle Willis, MMOs Accounting Officer, said: The breadth and depth of MMOs delivery continued to grow throughout 2022/23 in our key role in protecting, restoring and sustainably developing our seas and coasts for the benefit of generations to come.

During this reporting period, some of work and achievements include:

• Helping to protect 12 million square kilometres of international waters by supporting 17 countries and territories with our marine management expertise (an area more than twice the size of the Amazon rainforest).
• We also approved over 28 million of various grant funding in 2022/23 supporting over 500 projects.
• MMO has the lead role to help protect 51 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in English waters through our accelerated MPA plan.
• As Englands principle marine regulator, we also continued our focus on supporting and assuring marine activities, and last year delivered nearly 4,000 assurance inspections covering fisheries, MMO grants, MMO licences, and marine protection.
• Our expert services underpin fishing industries and includes MMOs support for annual quota negotiations, managing quota outcomes, supporting nearly 2,400 vessel licences across England, and providing the Fish Export Service that helps deliver 1.7 billion of UK exports of fish.

Background

The Annual Report and Accounts covers the financial year 2022/23. This paper was laid before Parliament on 18 December 2023 in response to a legislative requirement or as a Return to an Address and was ordered to be printed by the House of Commons.