Marine Conservation Zone project publishes its second progress reports

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The four regional stakeholder groups within the UK’s Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) project have published a second set of regional progress reports, as part of the development of recommendations for future Marine Conservation Zones.

This new set of reports represent broad areas of interest for consideration and are not concrete proposals.

Future MCZs will eventually be added to a list of existing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in English seas, safeguarding marine species and habitats of national importance, and will play a key role in fulfilling the UK government’s commitment to establishing an ecologically coherent network of MPAs by 2012.

There are four progress reports in total, highlighting the work of stakeholders – people who are both commercial and recreational sea users – from each regional MCZ project: for the south-east (Balanced Seas), the south-west (Finding Sanctuary), the Irish Sea (Irish Sea Conservation Zones) and the North Sea (Net Gain).

The progress reports have been delivered to the Science Advisory Panel – an independent body comprising of expert marine scientists, set up specifically to support the four regional projects in the MCZ selection process by offering objective scientific assessment of site proposals, and independent advice to government ministers. Panel members have been drawn from a diverse range of marine scientific disciplines.

To view the progress reports, visit the relevant website:

South-east (Balanced Seas): www.balancedseas.org
South-west (Finding Sanctuary): www.finding-sanctuary.org
Irish Sea (Irish Sea Conservation Zones): www.irishseaconservation.org.uk
North Sea (Net Gain): www.netgainmcz.org

Further details can be found on each regional website.

These are the second in a set of three progress reports. The third set of reports will be published at the beginning of March 2011, and final recommendations will be submitted to government in June 2011.

MCZs are a new type of MPA, being introduced through the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act. MCZs will be implemented to protect nationally important marine wildlife, habitats, geology and geomorphology.

Sites will be selected both inshore and offshore, up to mean high water to protect the full range of marine life. MCZs will have a range of protection levels that reflect the level to which a particular habitat or wider ecosystem needs to be safeguarded.