Marine Protected Areas

The most important and exciting aspect of the forthcoming Marine Acts is the creation of a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) throughout UK seas. MPAs are sites in which human activities are restricted to varying degrees. They are a tried and tested means of safeguarding important habitats and wildlife. MPAs protect the wildlife within their boundaries and allow nature to recover and thrive. In many cases, MPAs have an influence beyond their boundaries too, as burgeoning wildlife populations spill out into the surrounding sea. Carefully designed and well managed networks of MPAs bring even greater benefits. Networks can boost the health of the marine environment as a whole, helping it recover from past impacts and enabling it to sustain current pressures. To achieve this, MPA networks must include not just sites that protect rare and threatened wildlife, but also those that protect examples of the whole range of ‘typical’ habitats and wildlife found in healthy seas. MPAs are the heart of marine nature conservation and essential for the sustainable management of the UK’s marine area. That is why The Wildlife Trusts regard MPAs as the bedrock of Living Seas.

Dahlia anemone © Paul Naylor

The new networks of MPAs to be established in UK seas will include several different types of protected area, which are represented by:

European marine sites – These are sites protected by European Directives. There are more than 100 such sites around the UK, but they cover only 2% of the sea area, and only a handful of species and habitats selected by Europe are eligible for protection. European marine sites alone could never provide an adequate MPA network.

Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) – The Marine and Coastal Access Act brings in the creation of a new type of MPA to protect nationally important habitats and wildlife. The Act applies in English and Welsh inshore waters (from the coast to 12 miles offshore), and in offshore waters (12 to 200 miles offshore) all around the UK. MCZs offer a flexible approach, whereby the level of protection can be tailored for each site, from locations with minimal restriction (for example, only excluding a specific type of fishing activity) through to highly protected areas, from which all damaging activities are excluded. MCZs – and their equivalents in Scottish and Northern Irish waters) – will form the backbone of the UK MPA networks.

Under the Marine and Coastal Access Act, networks of MPAs are to be established in English and Welsh inshore waters and in offshore waters around the UK. In England, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Natural England, have set up four regional projects – in the North Sea – Net Gain, Eastern English Channel – Balanced Seas, South West – Finding Sanctuary and North West – Irish Sea Conservation Zone to develop proposed networks of MPAs. A similar approach is currently being explored in Wales for welsh waters out to 12nms.

We have four regional officers, representing the Trusts of the North Sea, South East, South West and North West respectively who are engaging in each of the projects. Likewise we have a welsh officer following the process across the border.