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.[1][2] 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.[3]
Map of Lundy with inset maps of British Isles and Bristol Channel
Following Brexit, legislation was introduced into Parliament in January 2020 which would give new powers to the Marine Management Organisation in English waters.
Isle of Arran. South Arran is a Marine Protection Area
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.[4] Two more no-take zones were established in UK waters by 2010 (bringing the total area protected to five square kilometres):[5], and an additional one in 2016 [6]
Lamlash Bay (2008), subsequently included within the South Arran Marine Protection Area.[7]
Flamborough Head (2010). This no-take zone is part of a marine SAC rather than a MCZ.[8]
Medway Nursery Area (2016). This 12.1 square kilometre no-take zone is part of the Medway Estuary MCZ. [9]
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.[5][10]
England
On 21 November 2013 the first twenty-seven Marine Conservation Zones were designated, followed by a further twenty-three on 17 January 2016. There are now fifty MCZs in English seas protecting an area of 7,886 sq mi (20,425 km2).[2]
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.[11] The consultations ended in March 2016 and the four MCZs were designated in December 2016.[12]
^"Marine Conservation Zones". JNCC. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
^ ab"Marine conservation zone designations in England". GOV.UK. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
^ ab"Coastal zones: UK's protected 'blue belt' expanded". BBC News. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
^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.[1]
^ abMonbiot, George (2014). "Ripping up the sea floor..." Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^"Guardian Feb 2020". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
^"South Arran MPA". Scottish Natural Heritage. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^. Natural Resources Wales. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
External links
Lundy Marine Conservation Zone Official Site
April 25, 2023
marine, conservation, zone, type, marine, nature, reserve, waters, they, were, established, under, marine, coastal, access, 2009, areas, designated, with, protect, nationally, important, rare, threatened, habitats, species, approximately, waters, have, some, p. 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 1 2 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 3 Map of Lundy with inset maps of British Isles and Bristol Channel Following Brexit legislation was introduced into Parliament in January 2020 which would give new powers to the Marine Management Organisation in English waters Contents 1 No Take Zones 2 England 2 1 2013 Marine Conservation Zones 2 2 2016 Marine Conservation Zones 3 Northern Ireland 3 1 Proposed Marine Conservation Zones 4 Scotland 4 1 Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas 5 Wales 6 References 7 External linksNo Take Zones Edit Isle of Arran South Arran is a Marine Protection Area 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 4 Two more no take zones were established in UK waters by 2010 bringing the total area protected to five square kilometres 5 and an additional one in 2016 6 Lamlash Bay 2008 subsequently included within the South Arran Marine Protection Area 7 Flamborough Head 2010 This no take zone is part of a marine SAC rather than a MCZ 8 Medway Nursery Area 2016 This 12 1 square kilometre no take zone is part of the Medway Estuary MCZ 9 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 5 10 England EditOn 21 November 2013 the first twenty seven Marine Conservation Zones were designated followed by a further twenty three on 17 January 2016 There are now fifty MCZs in English seas protecting an area of 7 886 sq mi 20 425 km2 2 2013 Marine Conservation Zones Edit Aln Estuary Beachy Head West Blackwater Crouch Roach and Colne Estuaries The Canyons Chesil Beach and Stennis Ledges Cumbria Coast East of Haig Fras Folkestone Pomerania Fylde Isles of Scilly Kingmere Lundy The Manacles Medway Estuary North East of Farnes Deep Padstow Bay and Surrounds Pagham Harbour Poole Rocks Skerries Bank and Surrounds South Dorset South West Deeps West Swallow Sand Tamar Estuary Thanet Coast Torbay Upper Fowey and Pont Pill Whitsand and Looe Bay 2016 Marine Conservation Zones Edit Allonby Bay Bideford to Foreland Bay Coquet to St Mary s Cromer Shoal Chalk Beds Dover to Deal Dover to Folkestone Farnes East Fulmar Greater Haig Fras Hartland Point to Tintagel Holderness Inshore North west of Jones Bank Land s End Mount s Bay The Needles Newquay and The Gannel Offshore Brighton Offshore Overfalls south east of the Isle of Wight Runswick Bay Swale Estuary Utopia south west of Selsey Bill Western Channel West of Walney co location zone 3 Northern Ireland EditFollowing 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 11 The consultations ended in March 2016 and the four MCZs were designated in December 2016 12 Proposed Marine Conservation Zones Edit Carlingford Outer Belfast Lough Rathlin WaterfootScotland EditIn the summer of 2014 the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Food and the Environment announced thirty new Marine Protected Areas 13 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 14 Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas Edit There are seventeen protected areas within Scotland s territorial waters i e within 12 nautical miles 22 km 15 Clyde Sea Sill East Caithness Cliffs Fetlar to Haroldswick Loch Creran Loch Sunart Loch Sunart to the Sound of Jura Loch Sween Lochs Duich Long and Alsh Monarch Isles Mousa to Boddam Noss Head Papa Westray Small Isles South Arran Upper Loch Fyne and Loch Goil Wester Ross Wyre and Rousay Sounds A further thirteen protected areas are outside Scottish territorial waters 16 Central Fladen CFL 17 East of Gannet and Montrose Fields EGM 18 Faroe Shetland Sponge Belt FSS 19 Firth of Forth Banks Complex FOF 20 Geikie Slide and Hebridean Slope GSH 21 Hatton Rockall Basin HRB North east Faroe Shetland Channel NEF North west Orkney NWO Norwegian Boundary Sediment Plain NSP Rosemary Bank Seamount RBS Barra Fan and Hebrides Terrace Seamount BHT Turbot Bank TBB West Shetland Shelf WSS Wales EditSkomer 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 22 References Edit Marine Conservation Zones JNCC Retrieved 11 April 2015 a b Marine conservation zone designations in England GOV UK Retrieved 19 February 2016 a b Coastal zones UK s protected blue belt expanded BBC News Retrieved 18 January 2016 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 1 a b Monbiot George 2014 Ripping up the sea floor Retrieved 4 September 2016 Guardian Feb 2020 The Guardian Retrieved 14 April 2021 South Arran MPA Scottish Natural Heritage Retrieved 4 September 2016 Flamborough Head Retrieved 4 September 2016 Medway Nursery Area Retrieved 14 April 2021 Monbiot George 2012 The UK s marine reserves are nothing but paper parks theguardian com Retrieved 7 April 2015 Marine conservation zones consultation GOV UK Department of Environment Northern Ireland Archived from the original on 2 March 2016 Retrieved 19 February 2016 MCZ Project Northern Ireland Retrieved 2018 01 18 Marine Scotland Marine Protection Areas Support for our seas The Nature of Scotland 20 10 15 2014 Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas Scottish Natural History Dualchas Nadair na h Alba Retrieved 19 February 2016 Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas MPAs JNCC Retrieved 19 February 2016 JNCC Central Fladen JNCC East of Gannet and Montrose Fields JNCC Faroe Shetland Sponge Belt JNCC Firth of Forth Banks Complex JNCC Geikie Slide and Hebridean Slope Marine Conservation Zones in Wales Natural Resources Wales Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 19 February 2016 External links EditLundy Marine Conservation Zone Official Site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marine Conservation Zone amp oldid 1144460413, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
