Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Marine Protected Area is the generic term for areas of the sea where wildlife has some form of protection from damage and disturbance. There are a number of different types of MPA in England which together will form a network around the country where the most damaging activities will be managed or restricted to enable wildlife to recover from long-term decline. The deadline for completing the network is 2012 and work is currently being done to identify and designate suitable areas, including some in Dorset. Dorset Wildlife Trust has been involved at every stage of the process and is continuing to provide ecological information to aid the selection of sites as well as campaigning with other Wildlife Trusts around the country to make sure that the MPA selection is based on sound ecological evidence.

Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)

This type of MPA is established under European Law and protects marine habitats or species of European importance. An existing marine SAC in Dorset is Chesil and The Fleet. In 2010 a new marine SAC was put forward for designation ­ the Lyme Bay and Torbay Reefs candidate SAC. DWT is working to ensure that all the important rocky reefs within the cSAC are being protected from damage by bottom trawling and scallop dredging. Another Dorset SAC is currently being prepared for submission to the EU ­ the Portland to Studland Bay Reefs SAC. Originally some important areas of rocky reef were omitted from the SAC but thanks to DWT’s DORIS (seabed mapping) project we were able to show this and the boundaries to the SAC were changed to include these. This candidate SAC will be submitted for designation in early 2012.

Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs)

This is a new type of MPA, enabled through the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009) and will protect nationally important habitats, species and geology. All the main stakeholders in the marine sector, including commercial and recreational fishermen, watersports enthusiasts, port authorities and conservation organizations, have been involved in the selection of possible MCZs. Several sites are currently being considered in Dorset, including Studland Bay pMCZ, South Dorset pMCZ and Chesil Beach and Stennis Ledges pMCZ. Towards the end of 2011 these will be officially put forward to the government for approval and then everyone will have an opportunity to comment during the public consultation period in spring 2012. The MPA network will be complete by the end of 2012.

The majority of MCZs will be multi-use sites where only the most damaging activities will be restricted. However they will also include a small number of highly protected areas called Reference Areas which will be protected from all extraction, depositional and damaging activities. Activities believed to be non-damaging will be allowed to continue in all MPAs, including Reference Areas. Currently four Reference Areas are being considered in Dorset, The Fleet and three off-shore areas.

Support the Petition Fish Campaign for Marine Protected Areas

Go to the following link for more information on these and other types of MPA

To view a map of proposed MPAs in the southwest go to - Proposed MPAs

Thongweed, snakelocks & ballan
by Paul Naylor