Over the past few weeks, we've welcomed teams from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and Natural England to Scarborough and out onto the North Sea to experience our offshore operations firsthand.

These visits were about collaboration, knowledge exchange, and building a shared understanding of how nature-based marine recovery can coexist alongside other marine users and industries while delivering benefits for the environment, coastal communities, and the wider Blue Economy.

Standing on the deck of a workboat, discussions quickly moved beyond maps, reports, and licence applications to the realities of operating offshore. Together, we explored marine licensing pathways, spatial planning, environmental monitoring, co-location with offshore infrastructure, and the future policy frameworks needed to support marine recovery at a meaningful scale.

A key theme throughout the visits was how the UK can move from individual demonstration projects towards large-scale delivery. We shared our vision for a 1,000-hectare marine recovery zone in the North Sea, where nature-based systems could work alongside offshore wind, fisheries, shipping, ports, and other marine activities to support biodiversity recovery, environmental enhancement, and new economic opportunities for coastal communities.

Experiencing the site firsthand also helped bring the scale and practicality of offshore operations to life. Visitors were able to see how vessels can safely and easily navigate between our Kelpedo™ marine recovery systems, demonstrating how nature-based solutions can be integrated into busy working seas without creating barriers for other users.

The North Sea put on a good show during the visits. Seals and porpoises were spotted around the site, while seabirds were actively feeding nearby, providing a powerful reminder of the rich biodiversity these waters can support. Seeing wildlife actively using the area helped bring to life the ecological outcomes that can be achieved when recovery is designed into our offshore environment.

We also shared the environmental evidence we are gathering through our ongoing monitoring programmes. More than 100 marine species have now been recorded using the habitat associated with our marine recovery systems, helping to demonstrate how carefully designed interventions can support healthier, more resilient marine ecosystems.

Healthy oceans require collaboration. Industry, regulators, scientists, policymakers, and coastal communities all have a role to play in shaping the future of our seas. We are grateful to the teams from the MMO and Natural England for taking the time to engage in open, constructive conversations about how marine recovery can become an integral part of the UK's future marine landscape.