MCZ - Marine Conservation Zones.
Dolphin Care Uk is proud to be associated with the forth coming conservation zones.
Our seas are home to a huge variety of animals and plants. Over 8,000 species have been recorded in the seas around the UK and the list continues to grow. Human activities can damage our marine environment and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been identified as an important tool we can use to manage our impact on marine habitats and species..
An MPA is any area that is managed to conserve or restore marine species or habitats. Designating an MPA does not mean that all activities in the area will be restricted. As for protected areas on land such as National Parks, it is only activities that may negatively impact the important species and habitats that will be managed. For example, 32% of Welsh waters are already MPAs.
The Marine and Coastal Access Bill is currently going through Parliament. Once law, the Act will enable the creation of a new type of MPA, called a Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). MCZs will form one part of a UK MPA network together with new and existing national and international protected areas (such as European marine sites). This network will conserve rare, threatened, and representative species and habitats of UK importance.
Unlike the traditional 'top-down' selection of European marine sites which are identified by the Statutory Nature Conservation Agencies, the Government is committed to a 'bottom-up' approach to establish MCZs. This means that all sea users and interest groups, such as sea anglers and bait diggers, will have the opportunity to be at the heart of a MCZ network design process that will deliver biodiversity objectives whilst taking account of the views and needs of all interest groups.
To increase the opportunity for sea-users to participate in this process, four MCZ Projects are being established (see Figure 1). The first of these projects to have been set up was Finding Sanctuary in the South West in 2007. The other three projects are just being initiated and staff are currently being recruited. Each of these Projects will have decision making forums composed of representatives from all the different marine sectors. Based on national network selection guidance, members of the forums will be responsible for the recommending the location, boundaries and conservation objectives of MCZs and necessary management measures required..
Consideration: A crucial consideration in the selection of the MCZ network is that it should conserve ecosystems and biodiversity and create an ecologically coherent network whilst minimising the economic and social impacts, and to seek ways to maximise the wider benefits to society. To fully understand what impact a potential MCZ will have, forum members must have information about what activities the area is used for. Each sector will be encouraged to submit its information through their representative(s) on the forum. Therefore, they will have complete control of what information is used and what detail is provided. The more detailed this information, the better the decisions that the forum can make..
Creation: The creation of Marine Conservation Zones presents a unique opportunity for sea-users, including anglers. Guidance on the management of sites will recommend that it is only potentially damaging activities that will be restricted in the vast majority of cases. Therefore we would expect the forums to decide on management measures that have minimal impact on anglers. All sea-users will be encouraged to recommend MCZs. For example, this could include important angling sites. All recommendations will be considered by the decision making forums as part of the deliberations in the development of MCZ network recommendations.
The Regional MCZ Projects are at different stages of development. Once up and running, they will begin engaging with all sea user groups through their liaison officers. This is expected to begin in late 2009.