1. Delivery of a UK MPA network Jean-Luc Solandt Senior Biodiversity Policy Officer UK Protected Areas Natural Solutions 2012

2. History of MPAs in UK watersFrom sites to networksStakeholder led design of English sitesWales and ScotlandManaging UK MPAs 3. MPAs have moved on in a generation 1981 3 marine reserves from the Wildlife andCountryside Act 1994 70 marine Special Areas of Conservation (thinking from 1990s to 2008+ is for networksrather than individual sites) 2011 now 96 SACs in UK (5.6% of UK seas) 3 tiny marine (no take) reserves New MCZs and national MPAs from 2013 MSFD 2016 and 2020 interim targets 4. UK SAC network only for 16 marine features 96 SACs (84 inshore) 5.6% of UK seas 30% of Welsh waters 25% of English waters (since 2010) Top down Science review in 2010 5. MPA science grows (1990-) Partnership for Interdisciplinary Science for the Conservation of the Oceans (PISCO). Direct policy advocacy work from thescientific community. UK studies show recovery of biodiversity, lobsters and scallops (Isle of Man; Lundy; Arran; Lyme Bay) 6. Science & international commitmentsEngland MCZ project 2009-2013New Marine Conservation Zoneswill be more prescriptive(objectives and protectionlevels)With SACs are meant to result in anetworkFour English regional projects 7. MCZs - Peer reviewed scientific guidelines1. Representivity from 23 broad-scale habitats, 22 rare/threatened habitats, and 31 low or limited mobility species.2. Replication 2 broadscale; 3-5 FOCI in each region3. Adequacy 15-41%4. Viability 5km minimum MCZ boundary size for broadscale. At least 500m for FOCI.5. Connectivity At most, the distances between sites should be 50km.6. Protection (level) that ensures the favourable condition of the sites designated features. Reference areas (no take marine reserves) for each feature in each MCZ region.7. Best available evidence identified on the best available evidence (now best available science). 8. MCZ management Maintain or recover objectives Depends on feature sensitivity Sites will allow a multitude of differentactivities in a single site MCZ will have voluntary management If voluntary measures dont work statutory measures will be considered 9. Pressures on MPAs mostly from fisheriesMuch MPA management hinges on this debate to trawl or not to trawl?Trawlermen say: prove trawling is damagingConservationists say: prove it isnt damaging (backedby the Habitats Directive) 10. The scallop gyre (2005-2010) 11. SAC managementWales (2010) scallop orderBan on scallop dredging to 1nmBan in all SACsOnly for king scallops 12. Wales will have 3-4 HPMCZs (by 2014) 13. Scottish MPAs project 0-200nmMarine (Scotland) ActScottish Ministersdesignate MPAs (anddevelop plans and issuelicenses)UK Marine & CA ActScottish Ministersdesignate MPAs (andissue licenses and draft plans)with UK SoS sign-off 14. ConclusionsSince 1981 weve come a long way in scaleFrom sites to a draft site network (at least in England)Designation will be limited by industry lobby / evidence base (from 127 draft new sites to about 50)Management at the site level is overly complex (feature based)Questions over offshoreNET RESULT = Mostly paper parks, but scale is promising 15. ThankyouJean-luc.solandt@mcsuk.org