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 far cry from the 127 zones recommended by it’s own science advisers who had performed a £8m assessment showing that 58 of the 127 sites were severely threatened and in need of immediate protection.

In defending his decision in refusing to recognise 96 of the 127 MCZs requiring designation, environment minister Richard Benyon said “The scientific evidence base for a large proportion of the zones was just not up to scratch.” Under his dictate, the Stour and Orwell estuary would become a Marine Conservation Zone, but the Orford and the Alde Ore estuary is to be excluded, much to the disappointment of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT). And some forms of fishing would still be allowed to continue even those that are designated.

Julian Roughton, chief executive of Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT), said the creation of the 87 Sq km zone that stretches from Ipswich to parts of Frinton and Harwich in Essex was significant, adding “The Stour and Orwell estuary is hugely important and we welcome this additional protection for what is a nursery ground for many fish species like bass. Blue mussel beds and native oysters and other commercially important fish like Dover sole, herring and whiting are also at the site”. But he further added that he had hoped for a network of zones to protect the UK’s sea life and was particularly concerned that a long stretch of Orford inshore had not been included in the plans saying “Although the 31 sites are welcome, we are still disappointed that there are not more”.

Jean-Luc Solandt, spoke for the Marine Conservation Society, said that the decision to reject proposals for 127 zones was “pitiful.” He said “We cannot delay protection. We would not stand by and let wild flower meadows and ancient forests be dug up and cleared, and yet heavy fishing gear is dragged across all kinds of habitats, destroying large swathes of the seabed with very little control.” He said the fishing industry would benefit from large-scale protection zones where bottom trawling was outlawed but fishing with fixed nets, pots and lines were allowed.

The full information can be seen in Matt Gaws report on the East Anglian Daily Times website of 14th December in the article entitled ‘Suffolk/Essex: Large part of coastline to become Marine Conservation Zone’.

Purple “hymedesium” sponge species, discovered within the Cromer shoalshoal A sandbank or sandbar that makes the water shallow chalk bed in 2011. Picture: ROB SPRAY/1TOWNHOUSES.CO.UK

Moving from Suffolk and Essex to North Norfolk, the beautiful but fragile marine environment formed by the Cromer Shoal chalk beds that runs from Weybourne and Salthouse to just north of Happisburgh, which forms the longest chalk reef in Europe, is deemed not to become one of the thirty-one selected. It features arches and towers and is teeming with marine life, including a purple sponge, new to science and discovered last year. It hosts numerous exceptional species, as portrayed earlier on this website. It will remain at risk if the government proposal goes ahead, just as bitterly disappointed wildlife experts have warned.

Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) says it just cannot understand why the Cromer shoal chalk beds are not among sites put forward for special conservation status next year. Brendan Joyce, NWT chief executive was “very disappointed” that the beds were not among the 31: He said “The reasons given were lack of evidence and possible economic impacts on wind farm cable routes. We are mystified why, when the renewables industry consented to the recommendations for all North Sea MCZs, there will be further delays to designation of the Cromer shoal and other proposed MCZs, whilst economic impacts are considered further.” He further pointed our “Britain’s marine environment was in decline. Basking shark numbers had dropped 95% and species such as the common skate, once abundant, were now critically endangered. MCZMCZ Marine Conservation Zone designations would help the seas recover and flourish”.

Anyone interested in supporting wildlife trusts’ bid to have sites designated as MCZs can do so by visiting www.wildlifetrusts.org/MCZfriends

From the fisherman’s angle, Cromer-based fisherman John Lee, representing the North Norfolk Fishermen’s Society, representative at the initial MCZ consultation process said he was “very pleased” that the beds were not among the proposed MCZ sites. He pointed out that there was already long-standing ban on trawling between Blakeney Church and Happisburgh lighthouse and that it was trawling which damaged the sea bed, not the lines, nets, and pots traditionally used by north Norfolk fishermen. He feared restrictions could be imposed at the time of designation, or in future, which could severely affect fishermen’s livelihoods.

Please do share this