Leisure Marine Industry
The Solent is known internationally as a location for sailing and other watersports. There are sheltered harbours for novices and children and safe open water for the more experienced. Large numbers of both local people and visitors take part in recreational boating throughout the year. Southampton and Portsmouth host many of the world's long distance sailing races, Cowes on the Isle of Wight welcomes the world's racing yachtsmen, and the Solent is animated with leisure boating throughout the year.
The leisure marine industry sector is therefore important to our region for the jobs it provides as well as to our local tourism industry. However, there is a current shortage of good quality waterfront access and many local companies are having to face the prospect of relocating within the UK or even abroad to get the facilities they need. (Marine South East (MSE)).
Research published for 2006/7 by the British Marine Federation (BMF) shows that the total turnover of the UK leisure and small commercial marine industry is £2.952 billion. There are around 35,680 employees across the industry (Full Time Equivalent) employed in around 4,300 businesses in the UK leisure & small commercial marine market. The southeast dominates as the region with the greatest revenue share of the marine industry (36.1%).
BMF’s Economic Benefits of the UK Boating Industry 2006 report found that domestic spending associated with leisure boating amounts to at least £2 billion a year, supporting up to an additional 68,000 jobs.
