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England’s government announced the creation of 23 new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), which more than doubles the total amount in British waters.
However, some critics argue that these are more of “paper parks,” rather than meaningful, designated areas where rules can be enforced. On top of that, the current total of 50 MCZs falls dramatically short of the 127 site goal.
“As an island nation, the UK is surrounded by some of the richest and most diverse sea life in the world – from the bright pink sea-fan coral colonies off the south-west coast, to the great chalk reef stretches in the east,” the marine environment minister George Eustice told The Guardian. “It’s vital we protect our marine environment to ensure our seas remain healthy, our fishing industry remains prosperous and future generations can enjoy our beautiful beaches, coastline and waters.”
A less diplomatic response to the expansion of the Marine Conservation Zones comes from leading UK marine scientist, Callum Roberts. He argues that the parks are not only falling short of expectations in terms of scope, but also quality.
“They have no management at all, so life within them remains unprotected,” says Roberts. “They will be worse than useless, giving the illusion of protection where none is present.”
Read a more in-depth analysis of the current marine conservation zone efforts in England’s waters in this article, published in The Guardian.
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