New Marine Conservation Zones announced

The UK has 27 new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), all of which have been created to protect marine life including coral reefs, jellyfish and seahorses.

They complement over 500 zones that already exist – new locations are as follows, with maps available via the link below:

Blackwater Crough, Roach and Colne Estuaries; Aln Estuary; Beachy Head West; Chesil Beach and Stennis Ledges; Cumbria Coast; Folkestone Pomerania; Fylde; Isles of Scilly; Kingmere; Lundy; The Manacles; Medway Estuary; Padstow Bay and Surrounds; Pagham Harbour; Poole Rocks; Skerries Bank and Surrounds; South Dorset; Tamar Estuary; Thanet Coast; Torbay; Upper Fowey and Pont Pill; Whitsand and Looe Bay; The Canyons; East of Haig Fras; North East of Farnes Deep; South-West Deeps (West); Swallow Sand.

The above cover an area roughly three times the size of Wiltshire and will be protected from damaging activities, taking into account local needs.

Restrictions will differ from site-to-site depending on the features needing protection – for example fishing, will only be regulated if it causes harm to wildlife or is damaging habitats that need to be conserved by the MCZ.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/marine-conservation-zone-2013-designations