Conservation needs places where nature is left wild; but only a quarter of coastal countries have no-take Marine Reserves. ‘Marine Protected Areas’ (MPAs) have been used to indicate conservation progress but we found that 94% allow fishing and thus cannot protect all aspects of biodiversity. Biodiversity conservation should focus on Marine Reserves, not MPAs.  Highlights […]

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Decent design – Before and After Control impact (BACI) – to establish the effects of MPAs ‘Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are increasingly being implemented as tools to conserve and manage fisheries and target species. Because there are opportunity costs to conservation, there is a need for science based assessment of MPAs. Here, we present one […]

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‘The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) has  expressed disbelief and anger at the new management measures for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Scottish waters announced by the Scottish Government today (11 June). The SFF maintains that the measures announced go far beyond the proportionate and evidential approach that was promised for the management arrangements of the […]

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Rural Affairs Secretary announces ambitious marine protection plan in Scottish waters. The Scottish Government is putting in place ambitious management measures for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Scottish waters, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment Richard Lochhead announced http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Progress-for-MPA-network-19e9.aspx . Following extensive consultation and engagement with a wide range of marine stakeholders, […]

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Andrew Binnie:   Marine Scotland’s proposed management options for Marine Protected Areas will continue to allow dredging and bottom trawling within large areas of the South Arran MPA and many other Scottish MPAs. Marine Scotland and the Scottish Government will make final management decisions this summer. It is important they realise coastal communities, marine conservationists and […]

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‘Marine Conservation Zones in English Seas:     Following our ten year campaign for the UK Marine Act (2009), the first tranche of 27 Marine Conservation Zones were designated in November 2013. The Government launched its public consultation on the second tranche of sites on the 30th January 2015 – with only two weeks to go, we need your support by […]

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