Post background The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) is the statutory adviser to Government on UK and international nature conservation. One of JNCC’s key roles is provision of biodiversity related evidence. Access to good evidence to underpin biodiversity and nature conservation advice has become increasingly important as the demands and pressures on the environment rise. Evidence activities relating to biodiversity and nature conservation, such as data collection, dissemination, analysis, and reporting, are all critical elements of JNCC’s core functions. Understanding human impacts on the marine environment through spatial mapping of the pressures associated with human activities, the assessment of habitat and species sensitivity and using this information together to a