Portsmouth City Council to put ocean at centre of decision making

Proposed by councillors Rob New and Daniel Wemyss, the 'ocean recovery' motion requires the council to consider the issue in every decision it makes and to increase educational opportunities for children.

'In Portsmouth, like the rest of planet, we are witnessing the ocean crisis first-hand,' it said. 'Fish stocks continue to collapse from permitted and illegal overfishing and poor water quality is impacting seafood and safe bathing.

'Our beaches are covered in litter with each tide, much of it plastic, though this is just the tip of the iceberg of the amount of litter in our oceans.

'Our residents are on the frontline of climate change and are being disproportionately impacted relative to inland communities.'

The motion requires the council to:

- report within six months on steps it will take

- put in place measures to make sure the issue is considered in all strategic decisions, including the Local Plan,

- promote closer ties with the Marine Management Organisation,

- work with marine companies in the city to make the sector more sustainable,

- 'grow ocean literacy and marine citizenship in Portsmouth'

- work with City of Portsmouth Colleges on training.

The council will also write to the government urging it to appoint a 'minister for coastal communities and to strengthen legislation to tackle plastic pollution.

An amendment, put forward by Cllr Graham Heaney and unanimously supported by the council, calls on the government to step up efforts to reduce the discharge of untreated sewage by water companies.