Living Seas
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As stakeholder recommendations for a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around England were recently made public, The Wildlife Trusts remind the Government of its commitment to create a well managed ecologically coherent network covering at least 25% of English waters by 2016.
This ambitious - and achievable - target is set out in the recently published England Biodiversity Strategy, ‘Biodiversity 2020: A strategy for England’s wildlife and ecosystem services’, in which the Government proposes to reverse the decline of biodiversity in our seas and help to restore them to their full potential.
The Wildlife Trusts believe the Government must designate the vast majority of recommendations proposed by the appointed stakeholder groups to achieve its commitment. 27% of English waters would be covered if the entire network is designated.
The four regional groups were set up by Government, following the passing of the Marine and Coastal Access Act (MCAA) in 2009, to consult on where Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), a form of MPA, should be sited around England. The Wildlife Trusts have been actively involved in them all, providing local, regional and national expertise.
Joan Edwards, Head of Living Seas for The Wildlife Trusts, said: “The network recommendations mark a huge step in the right direction. This is the result of a great deal of hard work from many stakeholders. It is essential that this opportunity is not wasted. There are high expectations which need to be met. A strong and complete network of MPAs must be presented to the public by the Government next year. If it falters or fails in its designation, there’s no doubt it will fall short of reaching its own target.
MPAs are essential for the future of marine life, and The Wildlife Trusts are running a campaign to gain public support for them, called Petition Fish. Currently, only 0.001% of the UK’s marine environment is fully protected from damaging activities. Fish stocks have collapsed and species including corals, seahorses, whales, seals and basking sharks have all suffered declines.
Research from around the world shows now is a critical moment for marine conservation, with extinction rates at an all-time high. Key scientists have published a report recommending the creation of MPAs for restoring and protecting significantly damaged marine ecosystems[1]. Protection of key marine areas from damaging activities is one vital element in achieving the Government’s own vision of ‘productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas’ and turning around decades of decline.
Norfolk Wildlife Trust has been an active participant in the stakeholder groups that put forward the MCZ proposals and is very pleased to see that the Norfolk chalk reef, which is now known to stretch from Weybourne to Trimingham, has been identified as a potential Marine Conservation Zone. We are also pleased that the importance of our coastal reserves has been recognised with sites at Cley and Holme put forward as highly protected Reference Areas for starlet sea anemone, saltwater reedbed and peat and clay exposures.
However, our satisfaction that the Norfolk chalk reef has been proposed as an MCZ is tempered by disappointment that the proposed boundary does not include the intertidal chalk which is present on the beach at Sheringham and West Runton, and that it has not been possible to agree an area of the chalk reef to be protected as a Reference Area, owing to objections from other stakeholders. Even though the formal process has finished, NWT will continue to talk to these stakeholders in an effort overcome their opposition and will make our views known during the public consultation, which is expected in 2012.