National Marine Protected Areas

The Marine and Coastal Access Act provides for the designation of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in English and Welsh territorial waters, and UK offshore waters. JNCC is responsible for giving advice and guidance on MCZ networks in UK offshore waters, and in the future may carry out monitoring of individual MCZs.

Devolved responsibilities in UK waters means that Marine Conservation Zones will be identified through three distinct, but co-ordinated projects. Each will develop appropriate stakeholder engagement mechanisms.

Detail of each is provided below:

MCZs in English Territorial Waters and all UK offshore waters apart from those adjacent to Scotland will be identified through the Marine Conservation Zone Project;
MCZs in Welsh Territorial Waters will be identified through a project which will be implemented by the Welsh Assembly Government;
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in UK offshore waters adjacent to Scotland will be implemented through the Scotland Marine Protected Area Project. For UK offshore waters adjacent to Scotland, the Scottish Government is the appropriate authority for MCZ designation where they will be known as MPAs.

Other non-Natura MPAs in UK waters

The Scottish Government consulted on possible options to establish MPAs in Scottish Territorial Waters in 2008 and the Marine (Scotland) Act received Royal Assent on 10^th March 2010.

Northern Ireland will be introducing a Northern Ireland Marine Bill to the Northern Ireland Assembly by 2012. This will outline proposal's for nature conservation in Northern Ireland's territorial waters.

To provide further information on all of the different types of MPA in the UK, JNCC have produced a document called "Different Types of Marine Protected Area". This document will be regularly updated as the situation progresses.