The UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has announced that 27 new Marine Conservation Zones have been created to help better protect marine life, joining the UK’s 500 marine protected areas that already exist.
The MCZs will span the waters around the English coast and will be protected from damaging activities to ensure their features are conserved.
Marine Environment Minister George Eustice has also announced plans to designate two more phases of MCZs over the next three years, with a consultation on the next phase expected to be launched in early 2015.
Making the announcement, Marine Environment Minister George Eustice said, “We are doing more than ever to protect our marine environment. Almost a quarter of English inshore waters and nine per cent of UK waters will now be better protected.”
It was decided that four sites would not designated in this phase. A decision has been made not to designate the sites at Stour and Orwell and Hilbre Island, and a final decision will be made on whether to designate the proposed Hythe Bay site early next year and the North of Celtic Deep site will be considered in the next phase.
For more information on the new sites please click here.
