Its diverse membership includes the fishing, commercial, environmental, recreational, historical and tourism sectors who, as a whole, have expertise and local knowledge of Dorset's coast and inshore waters.

The Dorset Coast Forums overriding aim is to promote a sustainable approach to the management, use and development of Dorset's coast and inshore waters. It does this through its Dorset Coast Strategy, encouraging collaborative working, sharing of information and data, together with providing key links at Regional, National and European levels.

The Dorset Coast Forum covers from Lyme Regis to Christchurch out to 12 nautical miles. The Dorset Coast Forum team is hosted by Dorset County Council and funded by:

• Weymouth and Portland Borough Council

• Borough of Poole

• Environment Agency

• Natural England

• Wessex Water

• Dorset Wildlife Trust

• Dorset County Council

• West Dorset District Council

For information on the Dorset coast and inshore waters please visit our find out more about the Dorset Coast page or for a simple overview of the current work and achievements of the Dorset Coast Forum please view the Dorset Coast Forum Leaflet [558kb] (opens in a new window).   

• News, conferences and consultations

  Keep up to date with international, national, regional and local news, find out about current consultations and up and coming events.

• Dorset Coast Forum (DCF) meetings and membership

  Details of past and upcoming DCF twice-yearly meetings, a list of current DCF members and information on how to become a DCF member.

• Current DCF Project: C-SCOPE

  The 2012 Olympic Games present an opportunity to develop a maritime legacy that will benefit Dorset's coastal communities and the maritime sector long into the future. The Dorset Coast Forum has developed the C-SCOPE (combining sea and coastal planning in Europe) project to realise this potential.

• Previous DCF Publications and Projects

  Since its inception the Dorset Coast Forum has coordinated or carried out a wide range of projects and produced a number of high quality publications.

• Find out more about the Dorset Coast

  There is a great deal of information available about the Dorset coast. The Dorset Coast Forum is committed to making available as much relevant information as possible to coastal managers and the wider public.

• Contact us

  Contact details for Dorset Coast Forum

• Dorset Local Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) Group

  This page contains information about the Finding Sanctuary MCZ Project and information for members of the Dorset Local MCZ Group.

• Current DCF Project: EA/DCF Collaboration

  The Dorset Coast Forum (DCF) is undertaking collaborative work with the Environment Agency (EA) to deliver a program of projects that will enhance the involvement of local coastal and marine stakeholders in the decisions made for flood and coastal erosion management purposes.