On Monday this week (24th February) DEFRA released the second tranche of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), which are due for consultation in 2015.
There were cheers all round at the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust as it was revealed that six sites within the area have now been included in the consultation:
- The Needles
- Offshore Overfalls
- Utopia
- Bembridge
- Norris to Ryde
- Yarmouth to Cowes
Debbie Tann, Chief Executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust told OnTheWight,
“This announcement is great news for our marine wildlife. It took ten years of campaigning to get the 2009 Marine Act and a further two years of data gathering and stakeholder consultation to come up with the long list of 127 recommended marine conservation zones. The six sites around the Isle of Wight were recommended for designation in 2013 but did not make it on to the first tranche of 27 sites designated in November 2013, so we are delighted that they have made it this time”
What happens next
Debbie tells us that all the data on the listed sites will be gathered together and verified before going in to a public consultation early in 2015. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust will be providing updates on this process throughout the year and during the consultation.
Further information about each of the sites can be found on the Wildlife Trust’s Website.
Have your say and show your support
Debbie went on to say,
“The government also wants to assess the levels of public support for all of the recommended MCZs. We already know that there is great support for MCZs, but some people are opposed to them, fearing that they will mean ‘banning everything’.
“We know that this isn’t the case and that sustainable activities will carry on in MCZ and so we will be asking for your help in providing even more evidence of your support for the six MCZ in our region.”
Why it’s important
Designation of these sites will ensure protection for important and nationally rare species like native oysters, seahorses, stalked jellyfish and mantis shrimps and for habitats like seagrass beds and marine reefs which support both marine biodiversity and economically important resources.
You can begin helping by signing up as a friend of the MCZs.
Don’t forget to tick the box at the bottom that you are happy to hear from your local Wildlife Trust, they’ll be able to keep you up to date with progress.
More information can be found on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust site.
