Marine scientists urge overhaul of restoration rules to save oceans

Swansea University has led an international team of marine scientists and practitioners—spanning 18 countries—in calling for urgent reform to the licensing and regulation of marine and coastal restoration projects.

In a new paper published in Cell Reports Sustainability, they argue that outdated and overly complex permitting systems are slowing down vital restoration work at a time when oceans are facing an unprecedented decline.

Marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, are disappearing at alarming rates. Global initiatives, such as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, have set ambitious targets to restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030. However, the authors warn that current licensing procedures are preventing progress toward these goals.

Lead author, Associate Professor Richard Unsworth from Swansea University, who helps lead a novel MSc program in Marine Restoration and Conservation and is also Chief Scientific Officer at Project Seagrass, said, “The very regulations meant to protect marine life are often blocking the projects designed to restore it. We urgently need smarter, more flexible systems that encourage innovation rather than stifle it.”

Key findings from the study include:

• Marine restoration is young: Unlike land-based restoration, the science is still developing, and failures are common, but these failures are essential for learning.
• Regulations hinder progress: Permits are often slow, costly, or impossible to obtain, even for projects that would clearly benefit ecosystems.
• Climate change demands new thinking: Restoration must create resilient ecosystems for the future, not simply recreate the past.
• Equity matters: Indigenous and local communities must be included to ensure projects are fair and effective.

The paper also outlines six reforms to accelerate restoration:

1. Embrace innovative tools such as assisted migration and genetic methods.
2. Create “innovation sandpits” where new approaches can be tested safely.
3. Establish designated restoration zones with streamlined approvals.
4. Mandate transparent reporting of successes and failures.
5. Align permits with long-term ecological timescales.
6. Remove licensing fees and introduce incentives for restoration.

The authors stress that they are not calling for deregulation, but for evidence-based, adaptive licensing that supports innovation and long-term resilience. Without reform, international commitments to restore marine ecosystems risk falling short.

Co-author Dr. Elizabeth Lacey from Project Seagrass said, “We have a narrow window to turn the tide on ocean decline. Smarter permitting could be the key to unlocking large-scale restoration at the speed Earth needs.”