Marine Conservation Zones
(asked on 7th September 2016) - View Source
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, when designating the third tranche of Marine Conservation Zones, whether they will take into account the Wildlife and Countryside Link’s Marine Charter, and in particular its call to address current gaps in Marine Protected Areas, stem the decline in marine habitats, and recover those that are damaged.
This question was answered on 21st September 2016
The Government remains committed to putting in place a well-managed Blue Belt to protect precious marine habitats and species. We are aiming for the third tranche of Marine Conservation Zones to be comprehensive and complete our contribution to the ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas in the North East Atlantic. This network plays an important part in helping stem the decline of marine habitats and species and in aiding their recovery. The Government has also committed to doubling the size of protected ocean around the UK Overseas Territories to four million square kilometres. This commitment included the immediate formal designation of Marine Protected Areas around the Pitcairn Islands and St Helena which will help protect the Territories’ important endemic marine species.
The Government remains committed to putting in place a well-managed Blue Belt to protect precious marine habitats and species. We are aiming for the third tranche of Marine Conservation Zones to be comprehensive and complete our contribution to the ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas in the North East Atlantic. This network plays an important part in helping stem the decline of marine habitats and species and in aiding their recovery. The Government has also committed to doubling the size of protected ocean around the UK Overseas Territories to four million square kilometres. This commitment included the immediate formal designation of Marine Protected Areas around the Pitcairn Islands and St Helena which will help protect the Territories’ important endemic marine species.