THE waters around Lundy Island, off the coast of Devon, yesterday became England’s first Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) under the Marine and Coastal Access Act.

The new network of Marine Conservation Zones will protect England’s marine species and habitats, from the common to the rare and threatened. Four regional projects have started working with local groups and businesses to identify further areas that will be designated as Marine Conservation Zones.

UK Minister for the Marine Environment, Huw Irranca-Davies said: “With the new Marine Conservation Zone around Lundy Island we have taken the first step in creating a network of marine protected areas. We can’t always see what is happening to the wildlife and habitats under our seas, but they need just the same protection as those on land and this world-first in legislation will provide that.”

“The four MCZ projects around England’s coastline are working with local interest groups to identify what other areas should be given this protection and I encourage all those that use the sea for work or recreation to get involved with their local project team.”

Lundy Island is just over three miles long and half a mile wide and the surrounding waters are home to varied wildlife including a high population of seals, lobsters and a number of different species of coral. The waters around Lundy were a marine nature reserve, until their change of status to an MCZ. Specific conservation objectives for the island will now be developed which will be open for consultation. Local byelaws will remain in place to protect the island’s wildlife.

The Act also includes new systems for managing and protecting our coastal and marine waters through:

The announcement was welcomed by the UK Wildlife Trusts who said it signals the start of the creation of Marine Conservation Zones in English, Welsh and UK waters – nationally important sites inshore and offshore – for the benefit of wildlife and people.

Joan Edwards, The Wildlife Trusts’ head of Living Seas, said: “This is an important moment. The next few years could be the most crucial period in history for the protection and management of UK seas and today marks the first steps towards achieving this.

“Our seas and sea life have a remarkable capacity to recover if given the chance. The Wildlife Trusts are looking forward to working with the conservation agencies to secure designation of new sites and ensure the necessary protective measures are put in place. They will all play their part in creating carefully designed and well managed networks of protected areas which will boost the health of the marine environment as a whole.”