North West Coastal Forum

The North West Coastal Forum is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered charity number 1206825.

We became a charity on 1st February 2024 but prior to this have been working on coastal sustainability since 2000 with partners from a wide range of different sectors across the North West as well as nationally and internationally and this activity will continue through our new charity. 

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Latest News

Ocean of Impact: 10 Years of the Blue Belt Programme – publication

NW Coastal Forum

The UK Government has published a report on the impact of their Blue Belt programme over the last decade. It shows how the Government’s £20 million Blue Belt Programme, and collaboration with the UK Overseas Territories, has improved protection and management of key marine ecosystems. n 2016, only 5% of the world’s ocean was formally […]

North West Marine Ecosystems 2026 – conference outputs now available

NW Coastal Forum

NWME 2026 took place on a very hot day in Liverpool on 24th June and was a great success. The conference brought together over 50 experts, practitioners, and organisations working across the Irish Sea region to share knowledge, ideas, and enthusiasm for our marine ecosystems. The aim was to showcase what has been happening in […]

Survey: Marine Plan Monitoring

NW Coastal Forum

Closes 11 September 2026 The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has aunched the latest monitoring survey for all marine plan areas in England, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to feedback on marine plan application and effectiveness.  If you are a decision-maker, or have experience of using marine plans or even just an interest in them they […]

Major New Project to Help Protect English Sharks

NW Coastal Forum

The University of Exeter has been awarded £939,434 by Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme to lead a major new 3 year project investigating the movement, breeding grounds and conservation status of three of England’s most vulnerable shark species: blue shark, porbeagle and tope. These species are all found in English waters and tope and porbeagle are […]

Five Proposed Joint UK Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) for Pelagic Stocks

NW Coastal Forum

Consultation close: 14th October 2026 The Scottish Government is currently consulting on 5 Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) for pelagic fish stocks. This is a joint consultation between the Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish and UK governments and covers: North Sea herring West Coast of Scotland and Clyde herring Atlanto-Scandian herring Northern Shelf mackerel Northern Shelf blue […]

King Charles III England Coast Path in NW England – Progress

NW Coastal Forum

New coastal access rights have come into force on 23rd July between Foxfield and Greenodd in Westmorland and Furness. These rights are brought into force by an Order made under section 3A of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.  Some restrictions or exclusions were proposed in Natural England’s reports and approved in 2022. These […]

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