» Marine Reserves



East Anglian reaction to MCZ’s

Through DEFRA, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the government decided on Thursday 13th December 2012 which first sea areas were to be and were not to become Marine Conservation Zones (MCZsMCZ Marine Conservation Zone). In all, only 31 areas were selected as conservation zones where trawling and dredging would be prevented, a […]

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Flame shell reef in Scottish seas could be the world’s largest

The discovery of a large shellfish reef on the west coast of the UK could be the biggest find of its kind in the world, experts believe. The reef made up of more than 100 million brightly coloured and rare flame shells, or Limaria hians, was found in Loch Alsh, a sea inlet between Skye […]

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Marine Conservation Society says “UK’s MCZ plans are too limited”

The UK government has been accused of a “lack of ambition” to preserve the seas, ahead of an announcement about plans for a series of protected marine areas. A total of 127 potential marine conservation zones have been selected in a multimillion-pound programme involving wildlife groups, local coastal communities and marine industry representatives. The areas […]

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UK governments announces 31 new MCZs from of a possible list of 127 sites

The UK’s sea life will be protected by 31 new conservation zones aimed at preventing trawling and dredging destroying life on the ocean floor, under plans announced by the government on Thursday. But ministers rejected advice to create 127 zones, including all the areas where no activity would have been allowed, leading campaigners to describe […]

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Should the UK’s Pitcairn Islands become the world’s largest no-take marine reserve?

The Pew Environment Group and National Geographic have uncovered a spectacular underwater habitat around the Pitcairn Islands, a British Overseas Territory that is home to the Bounty mutineers and their descendants. The two groups, along with the islanders, are calling on the UK government to make Pitcairn into the world’s largest no-take marine reserve. The […]

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Coral Sea marine national park established

On 16th November 2012, the Australian government proclaimed the Coral Sea Marine National Park as the second-largest fully protected marine reserve in the world and the largest in the domestic waters of any country. Spanning 502,238 square kilometers (193,915 square miles)—an area the size of Spain—these waters are home to one of the world’s last […]

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Greenpeace forces Waitrose to re-evaluate its commercial ties with Shell and Arctic oil exploration

After only 12 days of an intensive campaign, Waitrose has announced it has put its partnership with Arctic oil drillers Shell on ice. Following 40,000 emails, several store visits, one spoof video, hundreds of Facebook posts, a social media meltdown, and the appearance of a life-size polar bear at their Islington store, Waitrose has declared […]

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Steps taken to strengthen marine reserves in Antarctica

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has held its annual meetings (2012) in Hobart, Australia, resulting in new measures strengthening marine conservation in the Southern Ocean. Main outcomes of CCAMLR’s annual meeting 2012 Research will be conducted in five Antarctic areas where little or no research has previously been carried out. […]

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UK Government to take action to protect SACs from adverse effects of fishing

Scallop dredgers and trawlers could be forced out of more than 200 protected marine sites in UK waters as a result of a new legal ruling by the government. The new interpretation of EU law on habitats and species, which has been forced on the government by environmental groups, could see scallop dredgers and trawlers […]

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Torbay council considers artificial reef scheme to promote marine wildlife

A £1.2 million artificial reef financed by TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s production company could be built off the South Devon. The scheme, which has been given conditional approval by Torbay Council’s harbour committee, would see up to 1,000 concrete balls placed on the seabed off Torquay. Four areas have been earmarked as potential sites. Rick Parker, […]

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Welsh Government calls for more time to determine its MCZs

Earlier this year, the Welsh Government conducted a consultation setting out the science behind 10 potential highly protected site options. It sought to find out how proposed areas are used, how this might be affected by MCZMCZ Marine Conservation Zone designation and how any effects on communities could be minimised. Almost 7,000 responses, expressing a […]

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South Norfolk GP Meeting on MCZ

South Norfolk Green Party have organised a Public Meeting on Marine Conservation Zones to be held on Sunday, 18th November at 2.30 pm, at Long Stratton Methodist Church, Manor Road, Long Stratton, Norfolk NR15 2XS, at which you are welcomed to attend. The Agenda:  Welcome by the Chair – Jake Ecclestone (5 mins) Model Letters […]

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The Clyde fishery needs more reserves and less trawling

At this year’s Arran Agriculture Show the mission of COAST (Community of Arran Seabed Trust) to establish an angler and creeler friendly marine protected area received support from woodcarver Marvin Elliott. He had carved a big cod out of a piece of drift beechwood. “This wooden fish is meant to be an eye-catching reminder of those days […]

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Diablo Canyon update

Since our last Latest News item entitled  ‘The Marine Wildlife Impact from Seismic Testing’ over 37,000 signatures were placed on the petition that first day to oppose the sonic seismic testing at Diablo Canyon. Furthermore the USA National Resources Defence Council (NRDC) the influential national environmental organisation, has withdrawn its support for the test it had only […]

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Man-made salt marshes not as biodiverse as their natural counterparts.

Man-made English salt marshes are failing to meet European conservation regulations that stipulate they should be as rich in plant life as natural wetlands, a new study has warned. Salt marshes are coastal wetlands that are flooded and drained by salt water brought in by the tides, and are found all around the coastline of […]

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Indian Ocean island and its artisanal fishery leads the way on marine reserves

In the Indian Ocean a landmark fishery closure is being held to boost the artisanal fisheries of island communities Small-scale fisheries face growing challenges in the face of continued over exploitation. Rodrigues, a tiny Mauritian island, has been battling declining fisheries productivity for the last 15 years. Lying nearly 1,000 kilometres east of Madagascar, Rodrigues […]

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Action to protect the Coral Sea

The Coral Sea Protection Campaign sent the following appeal to our MARINET member Peter Waller, who has passed it on to us so that you may give some needed support to our colleagues ‘down under’. The Australian government is asking us all the question ‘do you want a Coral Sea Marine Reserve or not?’ We […]

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“Rogue fishermen” break Lyme Bay scallop fishing agreement

CMS News reports, 21st August 2012: Within a month of the Blue Marine Foundation signing up local fishermen to support the sustainable management of Lyme Bay and its reefs, four ‘rogue’ fishing boats have been recorded fishing in the closed area. Charles Clover, the instigator of the Blue Marine Foundation initiative, wrote at length in […]

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Pacific Islands create two of the world’s largest marine reserves, calling then “Pacific Oceanscape”

CNN reports, 3rd September 2012, in an article written by Dr. Greg Stone: “Last week, while most of the western world was focused on the approaching presidential election in the United States and a potentially disastrous hurricane making landfall in New Orleans, a group of seemingly small nations gathered on the Island of Rarotonga and […]

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Fishing in European marine reserves to be assessed for adverse impact

Fish2Fork reports, 20th August 2012: Scallop dredgers and trawlers could be forced out of more than 200 protected marine sites in UK waters as a result of a new legal ruling by the government. The new interpretation of EU law on habitats and species, which has been forced on the government by environmental groups, could […]

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