The assessments in this report are the result of a three step process.

Step 1: Each of the evidence groups set up under UKMMAS carried out a detailed assessment of progress towards the vision, which they set out in a comprehensive and fully-referenced technical report known as a ‘Feeder Report’. The assessments draw on monitoring data collected by marine institutes and agencies across the UK, other relevant information and research undertaken at research institutes and universities.

The Ocean Processes Feeder Report provides evidence covering the state of the ocean processes through components such as circulation, weather and climate, waves, temperature, salinity, carbon (including acidification), sea level, turbidity and sedimentary processes.

The Healthy and Biologically Diverse Seas Feeder Report provides evidence on cetaceans, marine and estuarine fish, marine habitats, microbes, plankton, seabirds and waterbirds, seals and turtles.

The Clean and Safe Seas Feeder Report provides evidence on hazardous substances, radioactivity, eutrophication, oil and chemical spills, marine litter, underwater noise, microbiological contamination and algal toxins.

The Productive Seas Feeder Report provides evidence on the use of the marine environment and identifies both the socio economic value and resulting pressures of these activities on the environment.

Step 2: Each of the Feeder Reports was peer-reviewed by independent UK and international experts outside Government and revised following the comments received. A stakeholder workshop was held to present and discuss the findings of the Feeder Reports with industry representatives and environmental non-governmental organisations and to consider any additional information.

Step 3: Charting Progress 2 is a summary document which draws on the detailed evidence and conclusions from the Feeder Reports. It examines all the evidence together with a summary on the impact of climate change, and provides an assessment of the overall status of the UK’s seas. We have also developed a web-based navigation tool, which enables easy navigation between the various parts of the report and provides user-friendly access to the evidence and assessments. This is available on the resources page .