MCZ Recommended Sites

September 2011

The four groups of the Marine Conservation Zones Project published their Final Recommendations in mid-September, 2011. Altogether the group has recommended 127 MCZs (Marine Conservation Zones), including 65 reference areas.

The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) (offshore waters), Natural England (English territorial waters to 12 nautical miles), and the Science Advisory Panel (SAP) will now review the recommendations together in advance of a three month public consultation phase next year.

For the Thames Estuary the Balanced Seas Project recommendations and report can be viewed on the website:

http://www.balancedseas.org/page/RSG Resources.html

For more information see also: 

http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-2409

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/marine/protectandmanage/mpa/mcz/default.aspx

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/marine/protect/mcz/

http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/marine/protected/mcz/mcz-sap.htm

http://marinemanagement.org.uk/protecting/conservation/mcz.htm

TEP - 30 September 2011