Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee
submit their advice to Defra on recommended Marine Conservation
Zones
In September 2011 the four regional MCZ
projects submitted recommendations for Marine Conservation Zones
(MCZs). These recommendations came from groups of sea users and
those with an interest in the sea through a series of discussions
and negotiations.
Natural England and JNCC, as the Government’s
advisers on the natural environment, reviewed these
recommendations. On 18th July 2012 we submitted our formal
advice to Government on the science behind these recommendations,
the quality of the ecological data and our views on the overall
regional MCZ Project process.
On the whole Natural England and JNCC support
the recommendations made by the regional MCZ projects since they
broadly meet the original ecological criteria, subject to some
additional suggestions proposed in the advice.
We have produced an executive summary of the advice and
a series of factsheets about the MCZ
project.
A full copy of JNCC and Natural Englands’
Advice is available at the following link.
The Advice will be considered by
Defra alongside other advice and evidence:
Advice from the regional MCZ projects
- their final reports
(submitted to Natural England, JNCC and the Science Advisory Panel
(SAP) in September 2011) and;
- their Impact
Assessment (submitted to Defra 18th July 2012);
Advice from independent scientists the
Science Advisory Panel and Independent
Evidence Review Group (IERG) and;
Additional evidence from environmental surveys
and assessments carried out since the regional MCZ projects
submitted their recommendations.
For further information about the advice
produced by Natural England and JNCC please email: mczproject@jncc.gov.uk
For further information about the public
consultation held between December 2012 and March 2013 and the next
steps please
Defra’s website or contact Defra helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk