Marine Protected Areas
Explained
We all like the idea of protecting our seas , but what do the various designations really mean , and do they work ? Bernadette Butfield presents a guide to MPAs
Home to a diverse array of species and habitats , the United Kingdom ’ s waters cover an area three times that of our land . As BSAC divers , we are undoubtedly aware of the many forms of marine life that call these waters home . From humpback whales and the largest bottlenose dolphins , to endangered seahorses and basking sharks , the UK hosts many bucket-list worthy species we divers dream of sighting .
Yet many of us will have witnessed firsthand a decline in marine biodiversity and habitat degradation over the years . As we continue to push the planet past its ability to resist climate change , it has never been more important to protect our marine environment – Marine Protected Areas ( MPAs ) offer a tool to do just that .
Navigating the topic of protected waters can be a complex task , with confusing terms and varying degrees of restrictions . This can
Bernadette Butfield works in marine policy with specialist skills in marine science and law . She is a BSAC Open Water Instructor with a passion for elasmobranch studies and has worked on scientific projects involving whale sharks and spurdogs . often make it difficult to understand our role in marine protection as divers . Here , I aim to breakdown the MPA structure in the UK , which provides a beacon of hope for us to collectively understand how to restore our marine environment .
Defining a Marine Protected Area
In their simplest form , MPAs are similar to terrestrial nature reserves and national parks . Areas of sea are designated to protect particular seascapes , habitats and species to help safeguard our ocean and make it more resilient to change . In the UK we have a few types of designation available – this is where the complexity begins . Each of the devolved nations have the power to create MPAs to conserve nationally important species and habitats . These sites are also known as Marine Conservation Zones ( MCZs ) throughout England , Wales and Northern Ireland , and Nature Conservation MPAs in Scotland .
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