The Solent Forum was established in 1992 as one of the Coastal Partnerships around the country to facilitate collaboration and partnership working in the Solent’s coastal and marine space. Many issues cover multiple sectors and jurisdictions and need to be addressed via partnership working at the seascape scale. Its work covers economic, environmental and social matters. Its aims and objectives can be viewed at: Solent Forum – What We Do.
The Forum’s geographical area of work is from the Dorset/Hampshire boundary in the west to Selsey Bill in the east and the Isle of Wight. The Forum covers all issues that impact on the Solent’s coastal and marine environment, including terrestrial drivers, so no definitive inland boundary is drawn. See: Solent Forum – Where We Are.
There are two key functions that the Solent Forum provides the core coastal partnership and the Solent Marine Sites (SEMS) statutory scheme of management that is open to Relevant Authorities. More detail is available in the Solent Forum Constitution. Further information is available on SEMS at: Solentems – Solent Marine Sites.
There are 57 members who are all professional bodies and organisations. There is one full time member of staff, an independent chair and a steering group that oversees the work programme. Current members are listed at: Solent Forum – Solent Forum Members Directory.
The full Forum meets in person bi-annually in Southampton, Portsmouth and Cowes in rotation. These meetings are very well attended and enable members to learn about the latest developments happening in the Solent and to network with colleagues. At the last meeting we had presentations on the following:
- Solent Forum Update and Members Survey Results – Kate Ansell, Solent Forum Manager
- Solent Gateway – Richard Parkinson, Port Director of Solent Gateway
- Using Water Recycling to tackle the challenge of Water Scarcity – Sam Underwood, Southern Water
- The Work of UKSA – Cat Dixon, CEO UKSA
- Boat user perceptions and behaviours in the Solent – Emily Stroud, Hants and Wight Wildlife Trust
The Forum provides a range of services to its members, many of which are based around collaboration and convening. We produce a free monthly enews that is widely distributed around the Solent to inform people about what is happening. Please email info@solentforum.org if you would like to subscribe.
The Forum can be found on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/solent-forum/.
Image: Solent Forum Meeting, Cowes, October 2025. © Kate Ansell
