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Marine Management Organisation

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is the executive non-departmental public body that licenses and regulates marine activity in English waters. For families dealing with a death, the MMO matters in one specific situation: anyone wishing to bury a body at sea in English waters needs an MMO marine licence before the burial can take place. [source: gov-uk/burial-at-sea-licence-2026-05-02.html]

What requires a licence:

  • Burial at sea of a deceased person — coffin lowered to the seabed at one of the permitted locations.

What does not require a licence:

  • Scattering of cremated ashes at sea — no licence needed, no MMO involvement. [source: gov-uk/burial-at-sea-licence-2026-05-02.html]

Designated burial sites: the MMO licenses three designated areas off the English coast — off The Needles (Isle of Wight), between Hastings and Newhaven, and off Tynemouth (North Tyneside). Burials at other locations are possible but require a standard licence (rather than the cheaper self-service licence) and additional evidence that the location is suitable. [source: gov-uk/burial-at-sea-licence-2026-05-02.html]

What the MMO requires:

  • Coffin must be solid softwood with specific reinforcements, drainage holes, and weighting (minimum 200 kg of iron, steel, or concrete).
  • Body must be wrapped in metal wire mesh.
  • Body must not be embalmed.
  • Body must be dressed only in lightweight, biodegradable clothing.
  • For The Needles site, three DNA samples must be taken from the deceased and uploaded to the Missing Persons Database in case of future identification.

Documents required for a licence application: death certificate, Certificate of Freedom from Fever and Infection, coroner's notice (if applicable), and the DNA consent form for The Needles. [source: gov-uk/burial-at-sea-licence-2026-05-02.html]

Timing: a burial must take place within three months of the licence being granted. [source: gov-uk/burial-at-sea-licence-2026-05-02.html]

Other UK jurisdictions:

  • Scotland: marine licensing is handled by Marine Scotland (part of Scottish Government).
  • Wales: handled by Natural Resources Wales.
  • Northern Ireland: handled by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

The MMO's remit is England-only, despite the name suggesting wider coverage.

Practical note: most families using burial at sea work through a specialist funeral director who handles the licence application alongside the other arrangements. The MMO does not itself arrange the burial — it issues the legal permission for it to take place.

→ Burial rights in the UK

Last verified: 2 May 2026 against gov.uk burial-at-sea licence guidance.