UKDIVING
Left to right : A wall of anemones at the Isle of Man ; pink sea fan at Lundy ; spider crab , an emerging commercial species ; red finger coral on a Cornish reef
A screen grab of the UK ’ s MPAs from the Join Nature Conservation Committee ( JNCC ). You can find the interactive map at jncc . gov . uk / mpa-mapper extractive in nature , including fishing and construction . The management measures of an MPA do not necessarily provide a blanket ban against all damaging activity to the marine environment . Indeed , many MPAs have been criticised for being nothing but ‘ paper parks ’. As many MPAs are designated to protect specific species and habitats , what is deemed ‘ damaging activity ’ can often vary between sites .
In some circumstances , damaging activity is clearly identifiable . Most notable is the act of scallop dredging with heavy bottom trawl fishing gear . This activity is known to cause destructive impacts to reef habitats and should be avoided at reef sites . To achieve consistency , government bodies have developed guidance on which activities are considered to be damaging . This advice is then referred to regulators , who decide which management measures are most suited to a specific site . Generally , extractive , destructive and depositional activities ( for example , fishing and construction ) are considered to be damaging . Fortunately for us , scuba diving is often considered a low impact activity .
Smaller areas of varying protection can be designated within the boundaries of the MPA to prohibit certain activities and protect specific marine features . One example of such an MPA is the divers ’ favourite , Lundy Island . The Lundy MPA became the UK ’ s first MCZ in 2010 , building on its existing status as a Special Area of Conservation in 2000 . This well-loved site is home to a multitude of marine life , including grey seals and pink sea fans . Within the boundary of the Lundy MPA is a No Take Zone ( NTZ ) which prohibits extractive activity of any kind ( for example , fishing ). Anchorage and diver shot lines within 100m of the Knoll Pins are also prohibited . Although the NTZ spans a modest four kilometres , many readers will have experienced the rich abundance of marine life the site offers , demonstrating the significant benefits of restricting destructive activities in a small area .
52 Lundy Island , the first MCZ