This week is an important milestone in the process for designating marine conservation zones (MCZs) in the English North Sea, according to the team at Net Gain – the North Sea Marine Conservation Zones Project.
Since October 2009, sea users who have an interest in the English North Sea have been working together to develop MCZs, through the Net Gain project.
The results of their work is now available for feedback.
MCZs will play a key role in fulfilling the UK government’s commitment to establishing a coherent network of marine protected areas (MPAs) by 2012, said Net Gain.
Through a series of meetings, sea users including fishermen, divers, anglers and conservationists have come together, working with maps and data to make recommendations on where MCZs can best be located to achieve ‘win-wins’ across all sectors, whilst safeguarding the rich diversity of the English North Sea for future generations, it added.
Thousands of sea users have provided information to the Net Gain project, which has played a vital part in the decision-making process.
The Net Gain project is now looking for feedback and comment on the draft network of MCZs so that as many sea users as possible can have their say on the location of MCZs.
This input will be central to discussions in the next round of meetings where the network will be developed and refined, it said.
Project manager Joanna Redhead said: “This is a both an exciting and crucial time for the Net Gain project as, for the first time, we are able to share the result of many months of hard work and detailed discussion on the part of our stakeholders. We appreciate that MCZs will impact on a whole range of groups and individuals and it is these people who we want to hear from, so that our next set of recommendations can have an even greater level of confidence and support.”
The Net Gain progress report is available to view at www.netgainmcz.org. This website also contains contact details for representatives from all of the sectors that have been involved in the decision-making process, and who are awaiting feedback from their sectors.
UK government is committed to establishing a strong, ecologically coherent and well managed network of MPAs by 2012 that is well understood and supported by sea users.
By the end of 2011, this project will identify and recommend MCZs in the North Sea.
The Marine Conservation Zone Project has been established by Defra, Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee to identify and recommend MCZs to government.
It will be delivered through four regional MCZ projects covering the south west (Finding Sanctuary), Irish Sea (Irish Sea Conservation Zones), North Sea (Net Gain) and south east (Balanced Seas).
