About us
The first meeting of the Devon Maritime Forum was held in October 2005. Over 80 representatives of maritime industries, environmentalists, economists, land owners, local government, government agencies, and those interested in maritime culture, communities and history gathered to discuss a number of issues including climate change, responsibility for the coast and seasonality of marine and coastal industries in Devon.
The Forum’s Chairman, Professor Laurence Mee, said that the coasts and seas around Devon are a vital resource, they support our economy; they are rich in wildlife and history and are part of the very fabric of our life in Devon. We already value them, but under new and increasing pressures we now need to do more to safeguard them for the future.
At the event there was great support for maintaining a network of those interested in marine matters, so a few key organisations have come together to develop a Devon Maritime Forum. These partners can be found here. It was agreed that such a Forum could be beneficial because it raises awareness of Devon’s maritime issues across all sectors. To achieve this, the Forum is broadening its management and steering structure to include a wider range of interests. This will ensure that the Forum is responding to the needs and aspirations of all stakeholders and is valued as a neutra, central forum for debate.
A structure diagram of the Forum can be viewed here
A Statement of Purpose for the forum can be downloaded here.
The forum produces regular publications that may assist in the understanding an application of legislation of relevane to maritime stakeholders. Go to our publications page here. You can also sign up to our newsletter here.