Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has welcomed the possibility of 41 new Marine Conservation Zones and is calling for the Government to reconsider missing local sites.
Today (Friday) the government has launched a consultation asking the public for their views about protecting a new group of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) – areas at sea where wildlife is protected from damaging activities.
41 special places have been chosen for the public to comment on including areas of the Isle of Wight coast – Bembridge and Yarmouth to Cowes.
Joan Edwards, Director of Living Seas at The Wildlife Trusts says:
“We’ve been calling for the government to give real protection to a connected network of diverse sea-bed habitats since 2009. Only 50 have been designated so far and this new consultation on 41 special places is really good news.
“We need to restore the sea-bed that has been ravaged over the past century and allow fragile marine life to recover – and this can only be done with good management. Without these astonishing submerged landscapes there simply wouldn’t be any fish, let alone fantastic jewel anemones, seahorses, and all the other wild and extraordinary creatures which are part of a healthy marine ecosystem.”
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust believes that the consultation is a big step in the right direction for England’s seas. Proper protection of these sites after designation will mean that our seas will be given the opportunity to recover. However, there is disappointment that some important areas – including 2 proposed local Marine Conservation Zones are missing from the consultation.
Tim Ferrero, Senior Specialist for Marine Advocacy at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust said:
“We welcome the government’s proposals to protect 41 new areas for marine wildlife in our waters. Adding to the fifty MCZs already designated, this is a step in the right direction towards completing a ‘blue belt’ of protected areas where our marine wildlife can recover.
“The designation of the Bembridge and Yarmouth to Cowes recommended MCZs could add important protection for some of our precious and productive local marine habitats and species like seahorses and stalked jellyfish.
“However we are disappointed that some proposals have been watered down. Locally two of the four wildlife havens that were being considered have now been dropped altogether – the Norris to Ryde coastline and Fareham Creek. Within these are one of the largest underwater seagrass meadows in the south east, and a vital area for native oysters respectively – both of which deserve protection too.”
Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has welcomed the news:
“I’m pleased these two areas [Bembridge and Yarmouth to Cowes] have made the list, especially on World Oceans Day. It’s vital we protect our maritime environment here on the Island and across the country and Marine Conservation Zones very much do this.
“I understand these plans could present challenges for the marine and fishing industries on the Island so I urge them and everyone else to get involved in the consultation to make their views known.
“My own view is that this is an opportunity to protect our seas for future generations and an MCZ designation will do much to attract visitors and add to the Island’s quality of life.”
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is calling on the public to ask the Government to adopt all 4 areas as Marine Conservation Zones as part of the consultation. – details of how to do this will be added here www.hiwwt.org.uk/mczs. The consultation closes on Friday 20th July 2018.
