A huge wave of public support will shake Westminster today as a quarter of a million
people call for greater protection for UK's seas and coastline. 250,000 signatures
on the Wildlife Trusts' Petition Fish will be presented to Natural Environment
Minister, Richard Benyon at a Parliamentary reception at the House of Commons,
hosted by the Wildlife Trusts. Devon Wildlife Trust collected 6,500 of these
signatures across the county.
Devon Wildlife Trust hopes to meet local MPs to highlight the unprecedented
opportunity that this country has to protect our marine environment using Marine
Conservation Zones. There are 14 recommended MCZs off the coast of Devon of which
just 4 made it onto the Government's consultation list recently announced. Sites not
designated include some of south and north Devon's most spectacular scenery and
wildlife. The list of non designated sites in north Devon include: Bideford to
Foreland Point, Hartland Point to Tintagel and the Taw-Torridge Estuary; for south
Devon the list includes: the Axe, Otter, Dart, Avon, Erme and Tamar estuaries.
A new poll, commissioned by The Wildlife Trusts, also shows the extent of public
support for greater marine protection. 92% said that in circumstances where sea
life is threatened by commercial activity such as industrial fishing or dredging,
priority should be given to protecting nature, even if this means putting
restrictions on where commercial activities can take place.
A new report published today highlights the benefits to be gained by society and the
economy if the Government adopts a network of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs)
around UK shores in 2013. Our surrounding seas have an astonishingly varied range
of submerged landscapes which support wonderful marine life: from cold water coral
beds to sponge meadows, canyons and sandbanks. MCZs were conceived to protect the
plants, animals and habitats within them from the most damaging of activities,
whilst mostly allowing sustainable activity to continue.
Securing the benefits of the Marine Conservation Zone Network was written by the
Centre for Marine and Coastal Policy Research at Plymouth University and
commissioned by The Wildlife Trusts. Its publication coincides with The Wildlife
Trusts' parliamentary event and with the Government's current public consultation http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2012/12/13/marine-conservation-zones-1212/ on
MCZs (which closes on Sunday, 31 March).
The report reveals that designating MCZs is likely to increase current benefits such
as food security, resilience against environmental challenges and pollution at these
sites. It predicts that there would be potential additional benefits for commercial
fishing, improved natural coastal protection and recreation too. The report
highlights the importance of MCZs working together as a network and points out that
non-designation of sites is likely to result in their deterioration.
Devon Wildlife Trust was disappointed that the full network of 127 recommended MCZs
were not on the Government's list published for public consultation in December.
Today, Devon Wildlife Trust calls for:
- The Government to designate all 31 of the proposed MCZs in 2013 and enforce appropriate management in these sites as soon as possible. 31 Marine Conservation Zones are a step forward, but nowhere near enough for an ecological coherent network.
- The Government to set a clear timetable for the rest of the network to be designated, including the 10 Devon MCZs that have been left off the list of sites in the first round of designation.
- The sites identified by Natural England as being most under threat to be designated urgently.
- The evidence that the Government spent £5m collecting last year (which has not yet been used) to be taken into account immediately, along with that collected by stakeholders in 2012.
- Proper protection of sites as soon as they are designated - including banning bottom-trawling and dredging in these areas.
Joan Edwards, The Wildlife Trusts' Head of Living Seas, said:
"We'd like to encourage the public to respond to the Government's consultation.
The public can help us ensure that the 31 sites that the Government have selected
are only the start. We need to ensure that the remaining sites are not forgotten."
Simon King OBE, The Wildlife Trusts' President, said:
"Whilst disappointed all 127 recommended Marine Conservation Zones are not
immediately being designated, we are heartened to hear the Government confirms it
has every intention of designating 127 and more if necessary. We understand that
resources don't allow this to happen in the first year - nonetheless the pressure is
on. Time is of the essence. With every passing week, month, year, we are at risk
of losing more of this precious resource."
Go to www.wildlifetrusts.org to respond to the consultation.
Recently, The Wildlife Trusts asked a leading polling organisation, ICM, to conduct
a UK-wide survey on attitudes to our seas and their protection. More than 1,100
people took part.
Here's what they had to say across the UK........
