Marine Conservation Zones
Protecting nationally important marine biodiversity
With nature conservation at the heart of the most
comprehensive marine management legislation the UK has ever seen,
JNCC’s newly formed Marine Protected Areas eam is busy. The Marine
and Coastal Access Bill was introduced into Parliament in December
2008. After a raft of suggested amendments, Royal Assent is
expected towards the end of the Parliamentary summer session,
bringing with it the requirement for the establishment of a network
of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
MPAs are areas of sea that
are specifically managed to benefit marine biodiversity. To date,
less than 3% of the UK’s waters are managed to maintain or restore
the quality of their habitats and species (Figure 1). Primarily
these areas have been designated for their European importance as
Special Areas of Conservation under the Habitats Directive and
Special Protection Areas under the Birds Directive. The Marine and
Coastal Access Bill provides for the designation of new MPAs in
English and Welsh territorial waters and UK offshore waters, called
Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). These MPAs will be established
for the protection of marine features of UK importance and, in
combination with the European sites and coastal SSSIs, will make up
the UK MPA network.
Whereas European sites can be selected only on
scientific grounds, MCZs will be selected to conserve biodiversity
and ecosystems whilst minimising social and economic impacts, and
in ways that seek to maximise wider benefits to society. The UK
Government and Welsh Assembly Government recognise that this can be
achieved only by ensuring that sea users play an active role in the
identification of MCZs.
For English territorial waters and UK offshore
waters adjacent to England and Wales, JNCC, Defra and Natural
England have established the MCZ Project. This will be implemented
through four regional MCZ projects. The Finding Sanctuary Project
in the South West was the first of these regional groups to be
established. Three additional regional projects are expected to be
fully functional by summer 2009 (Figure 2). In partnership with
JNCC these regional projects will be inviting regional, national
and international sea users to join stakeholder groups that will
have the responsibility for recommending regional MCZ networks.
These recommendations will be submitted to Defra by JNCC and
Natural England in late 2011 with a view to designation in
2012.
JNCC is working with the
Welsh Assembly Government and Countryside Council for Wales on MPA
work in Welsh waters. Owing to the high percentage of Welsh waters
being protected through European designations, the majority of MCZs
will be highly protected, restricting all extractive and
depositional activities. The detail of how sea users can get
involved in the identification of these sites is currently being
finalised and will be announced shortly. JNCC is providing the
coordination between the Welsh inshore project and the MCZ
project.
Under the Marine &
Coastal Access Bill, Scottish Government will be responsible for
identifying MPAs in offshore waters around Scotland. Scottish
Government will be publishing a Scottish Marine Bill in the Spring
of 2009 that will set out provisions for delivering this
responsibility. JNCC will be working with the Scottish Government
to ensure any MPA provisions meet the requirements of the Scottish
people and fulfills our UK commitments to international agreements.
JNCC will provide the coordination between any Scottish work and
the MCZ project.
More information
on UK MPAs.
Sophie Elliott
UK MPA Stakeholder
Engagement Officer.
Tel: +44 (0) 1773 866927
Email:
Nature News Issue 20 Spring 2009