Marine Nature Conservation

The Act introduces new tools for conservation of marine wildlife and will bring in provisions to protect marine species and habitats of national interest.

The Government has committed to put in place an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2012. The MPA network will include existing and new Natura 2000 sites or European Marine Sites; Ramsar sites; marine components of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in England, Scotland and Wales, and Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in Northern Ireland and new national MPAs called Marine Conservation Zones in England and Wales.

For more information see:

• The Government's strategy for contributing to the delivery of a UK network of marine protected areas
• Defra - Marine biodiversity
• Defra - Marine Conservation Zones
• Welsh Assembly - Marine Conservation Zones
• Defra - Marine Protected Areas

For further information contact:

Mark Gray
Environmental Assessment Support Officer
t: 01248 605038
e: m_gray@seafish.co.uk