First Regional Stakeholder Group Progress Report online
The Balanced Seas Regional Stakeholder Group (RSG) is making this first progress report available to show the steps it has taken in the process to recommend Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in the south east.
The details enclosed in this report do not represent proposed MCZs but show broad areas of interest. These have been identified by the RSG, using the data and information available to them, and focusing attention on the need to protect the broad-scale habitats listed in the Ecological Network Guidance. This does not necessarily mean that MCZs will be recommended in these areas, nor that unmarked areas will not be considered during later discussions.
This Progress Report has been presented to the Science Advisory Panel (SAP), an independent body of expert marine scientists appointed by Defra, who will provide feedback on the RSG’s work so far. The SAP has been presented with Progress Reports by all four Regional MCZ Projects so that they can assess the progress being made towards developing a national Marine Protected Area network that meets the requirements set out in the Ecological Network Guidance.
By making this report available, the RSG would like to share information about their progress to ensure openness and transparency about their discussions and developments within this iterative process.
The RSG are not inviting direct comments on the Progress Report. If, however, you would like to contribute your views to the MCZ planning process, please look on the Our Stakeholders and Get Involved pages to find out about contacting your relevant sector representative.
A further two progress reports will be published by the RSG prior to submitting their recommendations for MCZs in June 2011. This Progress Report is not a public consultation, but is a snapshot of the participatory planning approach towards recommending MCZs. A public consultation will be held in 2011/12 after the recommendations from all four MCZ projects have been submitted to Defra in October 2011.
Download the Progress Report from the Reports section of the RSG page.
News date 14th July 2010