In November of last year, after nearly a decade of campaigning by the wildlife trusts and partners, the Marine and Coastal Access Bill was passed. It is fantastic news for our seas, promising sustainable development of the marine and coastal environment around the UK. But why is tthis so important?

Earth is a blue planet. The oceans and seas account for more than 70 per cent of its surface and support a richer diversity of life than any of the habitats found on land.

From whales to stream-lined sharks, kelp beds to multi-coloured coral, there is a whole world beneath the waves. The ocean networks that divide the world’s continents are a vital component of our planet’s ecosystem: storing carbon, circulating heat, influencing the weather and supporting an indescribable wealth of resources.

The shores of Britain are no exception to this. As an island nation, we have relied on the resources and protection of our seas for hundreds of years.

Nor can we forget the sheer enjoyment we gain from our 20,000km of coastline. But it is not only the British public that use this wonderful marine environment — more than 8,000 species have been recorded in UK waters alone.

Despite this richness of life, the world’s oceans are in peril. From the melting ice caps of the poles, to the devastated coral reefs of the tropics, pollution, overfishing, habitat loss and global warming are taking their toll.

For centuries we have taken the seas’ seemingly endless riches for granted.

The result today is the collapse of many fishing industries, the near extinction of the world’s largest mammals — the baleen whales — and the degradation of many of the oceans’ fragile and species-rich habitats.

Unfortunately, the seas around the UK have not escaped loss. Although it is hard to measure the damage, the impacts to some of our most charismatic species are starkly obvious.

The puffins which breed and feed all round the British coast have undergone severe declines in recent years due to a dramatic reduction in the availability of their favourite food, sandeels. With only two per cent of British seas afforded the minimum level of protection, and less than 0.001 per cent fully protected from any damaging activity, the time has come to do something to protect and restore this vital habitat and the species that rely on it.

Oxfordshire could not be a more land-locked county. It feels far removed from the salty sea air and dramatic coastline.

It is often hard to imagine what impact we can be having on the marine environment. But the truth is that our daily actions have a detrimental impact on our seas.

Joan Edwards, head of the wildlife trusts’ Living Seas (www.wildlifetrusts.org) campaign, said: “All too often we forget that we are an island nation, and whilst we may not all live by the sea, we are not far from it. Whether we visit during the summer, or remain at home, all of us have the potential to impact upon the sea.”

Many marine fish species, such as cod, haddock and tuna, as well as several types of shellfish, are suffering dramatic declines in numbers due to overfishing and excessive consumption.

Fishing gear, such as bottom trawler nets, is responsible for causing severe damage to the seafloor, disturbing the delicate seabed and associated wildlife. Nets lead to significant levels of by-catch, where animals such as sharks, dolphins and porpoises are unintentionally caught and killed.

Pollution is another major threat. Everything we flush down our drains — domestic cleaning chemicals, soaps and waste, eventually ends up in the sea, with particularly damaging effects to estuarine and coastal habitats.

Climate change plays its part. The greenhouse gases we contribute to the atmosphere when we drive to work or switch on a light are altering the chemical balance of the oceans.

As more and more carbon dioxide is dissolved into our seas, changes in temperature and salinity alter how the oceans function, affecting the delicate balance of currents and nutrient cycling, changing food availability and ultimately affecting our climate.

This paints a gloomy picture, but all is not lost. The oceans still remain rich habitats and the wildlife trusts’ Living Seas campaign is helping to shape a brighter future for our marine environment.

Living Seas involves all the 47 local wildlife trusts across Britain including BBOWT; it is the vision of a healthy and sustainable UK marine environment secured for future generations.

Work is already well underway with local trusts involved in a variety of projects, from basking shark research programmes to guided fossil walks. One ongoing campaign run by the wildlife trusts of the South East is the Solent Seal Project.

The Solent is home to the only remaining population of harbour seals in the eastern English Channel, but without protection they may be lost. The project is working to raise awareness and study the seal population in order to better understand how they can be helped.

Although we are far from the coast here in Oxfordshire, BBOWT is also joining in the rally to save our seas. Some of the work it carries out in the three counties has positive effects on our estuaries and coastal waters.

As part of its Living Landscape scheme along the River Ray, it is working with partners and landowners to restore the natural flow of the watercourse and reduce pollutants entering the river system — cleaner rivers mean cleaner estuaries and marine environments.

For those of us not so close to the sea, there are still many ways we can help protect and restore it. Think very carefully about the fish you eat; avoid eating certain species such as cod and haddock (unless line-caught which greatly reduces the level of by-catch) and wild salmon, which are all suffering massive declines in UK waters.

When buying fish look out for the Marine Stewardship Council (www.msc.org) logo which indicates the fish have been caught from a sustainable source (www.fishonline.org). Always avoid ‘longline-caught’ fish unless they are labelled ‘seabird friendly’.