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A Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) is a type of marine nature reserve in UK waters. They were established under the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009) and are areas designated with the aim to protect nationally important, rare or threatened habitats and species. Approximately 20% of UK waters now have some protection although some conservation, fisherman and wildlife groups are concerned that there are no management plans for each zone.

Following Brexit, legislation was introduced into Parliament in January 2020 which would give new powers to the Marine Management Organisation in English waters.

No Take Zones

MCZs generally do not provide "no-take" protection banning fishing. However, Lundy Island MCZ includes a preexisting "no-take zone", which was established in 2003. Two more no-take zones were established in UK waters by 2010 (bringing the total area protected to five square kilometres):, and an additional one in 2016

• Lamlash Bay (2008), subsequently included within the South Arran Marine Protection Area.
• Flamborough Head (2010). This no-take zone is part of a marine SAC rather than a MCZ.
• Medway Nursery Area (2016). This 12.1 square kilometre no-take zone is part of the Medway Estuary MCZ.

There has been criticism of the MCZs for not providing "no-take" protection for a higher proportion of UK waters; for example, the environmentalist George Monbiot has raised the issue in his column in The Guardian. Bottom trawling remains permitted in many of the UK's marine protected areas, including its MCZs.

Highly Protected Marine Areas

Allonby Bay off the Solway Firth, Cumbria, North East of Farnes Deep off Northumberland, and Dolphin Head, West Sussex, have been chosen as Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), which give greater protection to the marine environment, with prohibitions against activity such as dredging and trawling. The new status came into force in July 2023. Joan Edwards, speaking on behalf of The Wildlife Trusts, said, "These three tiny spots cover just 0.4% of English seas - and we're looking forward to seeing further designations so that we can safeguard our seas for the future." A plan to create HPMAs in 10% of Scotland's seas was rejected by the Scottish government following pressure from the fishing industry and some island communities.

England

On 21 November 2013 the first twenty-seven Marine Conservation Zones were designated, a further twenty-three were announced on 17 January 2016 followed by a further forty-one on 31 May 2019.

2019 Marine Conservation Zones

1. Albert Field
2. Axe Estuary
3. Beachy Head East
4. Bembridge
5. Berwick to St. Mary's
6. Camel Estuary
7. Cape Bank
8. Dart Estuary
9. Devon Avon Estuary
10. East of Start Point
11. Erme Estuary
12. Foreland
13. Goodwin Sands
14. Helford Estuary
15. Holderness Offshore
16. Inner Bank
17. Kentish Knock East
18. Markham's Triangle
19. Morte Platform
20. North East of Haig Fras
21. North West of Lundy
22. Orford Inshore
23. Otter Estuary
24. Purbeck Coast
25. Queenie Corner
26. Ribble Estuary
27. Selsey Bill and the Hounds
28. Solway Firth
29. South of Celtic Deep
30. South of Portland
31. South of the Isles of Scilly
32. South Rigg
33. South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel
34. South West Deeps (East)
35. Southbourne Rough
36. Studland Bay
37. Swanscombe
38. West of Copeland
39. West of Wight Barfleur
40. Wyre-Lune
41. Yarmouth to Cowes

Northern Ireland

Following the passing of the Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 only Strangford Lough was designated as a Marine Conservation Zone. In 2015 consultations for a further four proposed MCZs were announced. The consultations ended in March 2016 and the four MCZs were designated in December 2016.

Proposed Marine Conservation Zones

1. Carlingford
2. Outer Belfast Lough
3. Rathlin
4. Waterfoot

Scotland

In the summer of 2014 the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment announced thirty new Marine Protected Areas. Along with thirty Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), forty-seven Special Protection Areas (SPA) and sixty-one Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), 20% of Scottish waters have differing levels of protection.

Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas

Wales

Skomer Marine Conservation Zone (around the island of Skomer) is the only site in Wales designated as a Marine Conservation Zone. There are 128 marine protected areas in Welsh seas and Natural Resources Wales (Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru) is consulting with the Welsh Government and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) to consider if anymore areas need protecting.

See also

• Marine Nature Reserve

References

1. "Marine Conservation Zones". JNCC. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
2. ^ "Marine conservation zone designations in England". GOV.UK. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
3. ^ "Coastal zones: UK's protected 'blue belt' expanded". BBC News. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
4. This was the first statutory no-take zone for marine nature conservation in the UK. It is illegal to remove sea life from the area in question which is in the waters to the east of Lundy Island.
5. ^ Monbiot, George (2014). "Ripping up the sea floor..." The Guardian. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
6. Busby, Mattha (25 February 2020). "Guardian Feb 2020". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
7. "South Arran MPA". Scottish Natural Heritage. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
8. "Flamborough Head". Retrieved 4 September 2016.
9. "Medway Nursery Area". Retrieved 14 April 2021.
10. Monbiot, George (2012). "The UK's marine reserves are nothing but paper parks". theguardian.com. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
11. Logan Rance (31 May 2024). "Bottom trawling in U.K.'s marine reserves, legally, is apparently a thing". Mongabay. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
12. "Highly Protected Marine Areas: Three sites secure environmental protection". BBC News. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
13. "Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs)". GOV.UK. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
14. "Scottish government scraps marine conservation plan". BBC News. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
15. "Marine conservation zones consultation". GOV.UK. Department of Environment Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
16. "MCZ Project Northern Ireland". Retrieved 2018-01-18.
17. Marine Scotland Marine Protection Areas.
18. "Support for our seas". The Nature of Scotland (20): 10–15. 2014.
19. "Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas". Scottish Natural History. Dualchas Nàdair na h-Alba. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
20. "Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)". JNCC. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
21. JNCC Central Fladen.
22. JNCC East of Gannet and Montrose Fields.
23. JNCC Faroe-Shetland Sponge Belt.
24. JNCC Firth of Forth Banks Complex.
25. JNCC Geikie Slide and Hebridean Slope.
26. "Marine Conservation Zones in Wales". Natural Resources Wales. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.

External links

• Lundy Marine Conservation Zone Official Site Archived 2011-12-29 at the Wayback Machine

• Fishing in the United Kingdom
• Marine reserves of the United Kingdom
• Lists of protected areas of the United Kingdom