Defra 17 January 2016 ‘Twenty-three new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) will bring the total to 50 and cover more than a fifth of English waters. Twenty-three new areas along the UK coast were today announced as the latest Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) to be awarded environmental protection by the government, extending the country’s ‘Blue Belt’ to cover over 20% of English waters and providing vital protection for the diverse array of wildlife in our seas. Marine Environment Minister George Eustice announced the new sites, which will protect 4,155 square miles of our most stunning and rich marine habitats and bring the total number of MCZs in waters around England to 50, covering 7,886 square miles – an area roughly equivalent to the whole of Wales, or 13 times the size of Greater London.  The new MCZs will cover areas across the country from as far north as Farnes East off the coast of Northumberland down to Land’s End in the South West, and will protect 45 different types of habitat, geological features and fascinating species – including stalked jellyfish and spiny lobsters.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/blue-belt-extended-to-protect-8000-square-miles-of-uk-waters

NGOs give a cautious welcome

Joan Edwards for the Wildlife Trusts:  http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/blog/joan/2016/01/17/23-mczs-designated

MCS:  http://www.mcsuk.org/mpa/details/List%20of%20areas%20-%20English