Government announces protection for stretch of Cumbrian coast

An area of Cumbria’s coastline is to get special protection for its' marine life.

The shoreline between Whitehaven and the mouth of the Ravenglass estuary, including the black guillemot colony at St Bees Head, is set to become one of 27 new Marine Conservation Zones (MSZ). The sites will be protected from damaging activities, although exactly what is permitted at each will vary from location to location.

Activities such as fishing will only be regulated if they are causing harm to wildlife or damaging habitats.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the designation of these areas would ensure their features were conserved for the future. It revealed the list of 27 protected sites following national consultation.

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) welcomed the announcement, describing it as a “significant milestone for marine conservation” in English seas.

Hat tip to the News and Star: more information on their website here.

The DEFRA designation of the Cumbria Coast MCZ is given here.

Another area in the North West given similar protection is the Fylde MCJ which is an area of Liverpool Bay off the Fylde coast and Ribble estuary. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Nick Herbert on his visit to flood hit areas of Cumbria

Quotes of the day 19th August 2020

Quote of the day 24th July 2020