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MMO Statement: 24 February 2021

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is investigating actions by Greenpeace after its vessel MV Esperanza appeared to drop a number of boulders on to the seabed in the United Kingdom鈥檚 Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ.)

  • The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is investigating actions by Greenpeace after its vessel MV Esperanza appeared to drop a number of boulders on to the seabed in the United Kingdom鈥檚 exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

  • As the regulator for England鈥檚 seas, MMO places very high priority on the environmental protection of our seas and the safety of those using them.

  • To assist the safe conduct of vessels in this area off the south coast, we are advising of the approximate positions of the boulders as listed below.

  • The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MACAA) includes a requirement that the deposit of any object in the UK鈥檚 EEZ from a vessel must have a marine licence from MMO before any deposits take place.

  • MMO expects organisations with environmental protection aims to act within the rules designed to protect our marine environment, and to work with MMO and other stakeholders to ensure the environmental protections that the MACAA puts in place are followed.

  • MMO continues to monitor all activity within English waters. Any unlawful action will be handled in line with our published compliance and enforcement strategy.

  • To assist vessels鈥� safe navigation, MMO understands that there are 18 boulders in the following locations, based on communication from Greenpeace.

The coordinates of each boulder are:

Lat N Long W
50掳 15.33鈥橬 0掳 31.77鈥橶
50掳 15.89鈥橬 0掳 27.85鈥橶
50掳 16.58鈥橬 0掳 23.26鈥橶
50掳 17.33鈥橬 0掳 18.39鈥橶
50掳 13.96鈥橬 0掳 32.33鈥橶
50掳 14.33鈥橬 0掳 29.68鈥橶
50掳 14.75鈥橬 0掳 27.08鈥橶
50掳 15.61鈥橬 0掳 21.20鈥橶
50掳 16.06鈥橬 0掳 18.12鈥橶
50掳 13.00鈥橬 0掳 30.85鈥橶
50掳 13.47鈥橬 0掳 27.56鈥橶
50掳 14.00鈥橬 0掳 23.80鈥橶
50掳 14.45鈥橬 0掳 20.66鈥橶
50掳 14.85鈥橬 0掳 17.83鈥橶
50掳 11.68鈥橬 0掳 32.35鈥橶
50掳 12.30鈥橬 0掳 27.88鈥橶
50掳 13.00鈥橬 0掳 22.86鈥橶
50掳 13.71鈥橬 0掳 17.68鈥橶

For more information contact MMO: [email protected]

Updates to this page

Published 24 February 2021
Last updated 1 March 2021 show all updates
  1. List of boulders updated to reflect location stated in Greenpeace communications

  2. Updated to include revised understanding on location of boulders, based on additional information.

  3. First published.