Photo by Adrian Langdon
Second wave of marine protection welcomed in Cornwall
Cornwall Wildlife Trust welcomes the news that the Government is designating a second phase of 23 new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), four of which are around the Cornish coast – Mounts Bay, Runnelstone, Newquay and the Gannel, and Hartland Point to Tintagel - with a further three offshore – Western Channel, North West of Jones Bank, and Greater Haig Fras. This historic move illustrates a renewed impetus to protect our seas and follows on from the announcement of 27 MCZs in 2013. This is the second of three phases promised by the Government in order to fulfil the remit of the Marine and Coastal Access Act.
The 23 new MCZs are special places in England’s seas and include cold water coral reefs, forests of sea fans, canyons and sandbanks, and an astonishingly varied range of submerged landscapes which support the stunning diversity of marine life found in the UK. They include Land’s End, one of the South-West’s most recognised areas, renowned for its rugged reefs and coastline, and Newquay and the Gannel, home to the rare fish, the giant goby. All sites will contribute towards a network of areas which is urgently needed to ensure a healthy future for our seas.
Ruth Williams, Marine Conservation Manager for Cornwall Wildlife Trust says,
“We welcome today’s designation of 23 Marine Conservation Zones. UK seas have the potential to be full of incredible life and colour but it is vital that we protect our marine environment to ensure that our seas and sealife can recover and prosper. Healthy seas are crucial for all of us, from the oxygen we breathe to the fish we eat so this news is a fantastic step towards better protection and a healthier future for our seas. Without these incredible submerged landscapes there wouldn't be any fish, let alone fantastic jewel anemones, seahorses, dolphins, brittlestars amongst all the other wild and extraordinary creatures which are part of a healthy marine ecosystem.”
Marine Conservation Zones are a type of protected area at sea designated for habitats and species of national importance, including fragile seahorses, rare native oysters and even cold water coral reefs. Such protected areas are a tried and tested means of giving vulnerable species the time and space to recover.
Mark Nicholson, Chair of Cornwall Wildlife Trust adds,
“We are pleased by this Government’s commitment to addressing this issue, and to deliver a network of Marine Protected Areas around the UK. This second step towards the completion of a ‘blue belt’ in UK seas is crucial in turning the tide on the state of our seas but there’s still work to be done. We look forward to working with Government and stakeholders to ensure the designated MCZs are properly managed and to achieve the much-needed ambitious and comprehensive third and final tranche. This will be the start of turning our over-exploited and currently under-protected waters back into a healthy and sustainable environment.”
The list of Marine Conservation Zones was drawn-up by sea-users, scientists and conservationists, with Government committing to designating the sites in three waves or tranches. The Wildlife Trusts, actively involved in every step of the process, are buoyed by the achievement of another important milestone on the road to better protected seas. We are calling for anyone interested in protecting our seas to join more than 8,000 other passionate supporters and become a Friend of MCZs.
The 23 Marine Conservation Zones
1. Coquet to St Mary’s
2. Farnes East
3. Fulmar
4. Runswick Bay
5. Holderness Inshore
6. Cromer Shoal Chalk Beds
7. The Swale Estuary
8. Dover to Deal
9. Dover to Folkestone
10. Offshore Brighton
11. Offshore Overfalls
12. Utopia
13. The Needles
14. Western Channel
15. Mounts Bay
16. Lands End
17. North-West of Jones Bank
18. Greater Haig Fras
19. Newquay and The Gannel
20. Hartland Point to Tintagel
21. Bideford to Foreland Point
22. West of Walney
23. Allonby Bay