Cornish fishermen to lose 20% to Marine Conservation.

Protection for key nature sites in UK seas has come a step closer with the unveiling of proposals to create over 100 Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). The zones range from tiny stretches of coastline to large tracts of sea floor. The proposals stem from the 2009 UK Marine Bill and cover seas abutting the English coast and waters around Wales more than 12 miles from the coast.

Among the sites proposed for protection are:

• Chesil Beach, Dorset's remarkable stretch of shingle
• Land's End
• the Silver Pit, a relic of an ancient sub-glacial valley in the seabed off the Yorkshire coast
• the Donna Nook seal colony in Lincolnshire
• tracts covering thousands of square kilometres of seabed off the Cornish coast

Fishermen and others in the South West will be actively seeking clarification on the consequences of the proposed restrictions at the earliest opportunity.

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MCA inshore areas covered by Finding Sanctuary.

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MCA offshore areas covered by Finding Sanctuary

An interactive online version of the areas is available from the MCZ Mapping Site.

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Finding Sanctuary overview.