Marine Pressures-Activities Database (PAD): UK Human Impact Evidence

39 human activity categories and 34 pressure types are linked by evidence in this database for UK marine environments. Joint Nature Conservation Committee maintains the database, which was first compiled in 2013 and updated to version 1.5 by 2026. It supports advice for Marine Protected Areas and broader marine strategy work.

Use Cases

• Assessing cumulative environmental risk for Marine Protected Areas based on linked activities and pressures.
• Developing biodiversity indicators for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive based on the evidence base.
• Informing marine spatial planning decisions based on the relationships between specific activities like cable laying and associated pressures.
• Supporting environmental impact assessments for offshore projects based on the collated literature review evidence.

Strengths

• Evidence base is structured around a defined matrix of 39 activity categories and 34 pressure types.
• Database has undergone multiple documented version updates, including corrections and additions of new activities like drones.
• Aimed at providing a UK-level product applicable to both inshore and offshore waters.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last updated 2026-04-14 09:48:07.505927; freshness should be verified.

Provenance

Source

Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), with evidence collated from a Defra-commissioned project (ME5218).

Collection Method

Compiled from a literature review to record evidence for links between human activities and environmental pressures.

Time Range

Evidence base initiated in 2013, with database versions updated through 2026.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-14 09:48:07.505927.

Geography

United Kingdom inshore and offshore waters.