Collection

Marine conservation zone designations in England

Marine Conservation Zones protect our diverse species and habitats in the “blue belt” around the English Coast.

Published 21 November 2013
Last updated 4 February 2016 — see all updates

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and Natural England

Marine Conservation Zones are areas that protect a range of nationally important, rare or threatened habitats and species.

There are 50 MCZs in waters around England. You can see where the zones are on JNCC’s interactive map.

These were designated in two phases after a process closely involving stakeholders. The first 27 zones were designated on 21 November 2013. Following consultation, 23 sites in the second phase were announced on 17 January 2016, bringing the total area protected to 7,886 square miles. Updated GIS data for all designated MCZs has been published.

A third phase will be consulted on in 2017, and designated in 2018. The third phase will aim to complete the UK Blue Belt and our contribution to the ecologically coherent network in the North East Atlantic.

Similar schemes are operating in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to contribute to a UK wide network of marine protected areas.

Policy documents

1. Marine conservation zones: explanatory note

   • 21 November 2013
   • Guidance

2. Marine conservation zones: January 2016 update

   • 17 January 2016
   • Policy paper

3. Marine conservation zones: February 2014 update

   • 27 February 2014
   • Policy paper

2016 MCZ designations and factsheets

1. Marine Conservation Zones: Allonby Bay

   • 18 January 2016
   • Map

2. Marine Conservation Zones: Bideford to Foreland Point

   • 18 January 2016
   • Map

3. Marine Conservation Zone: Coquet to St Mary's

   • 18 January 2016
   • Map

4. Marine Conservation Zones: Cromer Shoal Chalk Beds

   • 18 January 2016
   • Map

5. Marine Conservation Zones: Dover to Deal

   • 18 January 2016
   • Map

6. Marine Conservation Zones: Dover to Folkestone

   • 18 January 2016
   • Map

7. Marine Conservation Zones: Farnes East

   • 18 January 2016
   • Map

8. Marine Conservation Zones: Fulmar

   • 18 January 2016
   • Map

9. Marine Conservation Zones: Greater Haig Fras

   • 18 January 2016
   • Map

10. Marine Conservation Zones: Hartland Point to Tintagel

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

11. Marine Conservation Zones: Holderness Inshore

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

12. Marine Conservation Zones: Mounts Bay

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

13. Marine Conservation Zones: Newquay and the Gannel

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

14. Marine Conservation Zones: North-West of Jones Bank

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

15. Marine Conservation Zones: Offshore Brighton

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

16. Marine Conservation Zones: Offshore Overfalls

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

17. Marine Conservation Zones: Runnel Stone

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

18. Marine Conservation Zones: Runswick Bay

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

19. Marine Conservation Zones: The Needles

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

20. Marine Conservation Zones: The Swale Estuary

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

21. Marine Conservation Zones: Utopia

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

22. Marine Conservation Zones: West of Walney

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

23. Marine Conservation Zones: Western Channel

    • 18 January 2016
    • Map

2013 MCZ designation orders and factsheets

1. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Aln Estuary

   • 21 November 2013
   • Map

2. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Beachy Head West

   • 21 January 2016
   • Map

3. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Blackwater, Crouch, Roach and Colne Estuaries

   • 21 November 2013
   • Map

4. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: The Canyons

   • 21 November 2013
   • Map

5. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Chesil Beach and Stennis Ledges

   • 21 January 2016
   • Map

6. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Cumbria Coast

   • 21 November 2013
   • Map

7. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: East of Haig Fras

   • 21 January 2016
   • Map

8. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Folkestone Pomerania

   • 21 November 2013
   • Map

9. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Fylde

   • 21 January 2016
   • Map

10. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Isles of Scilly

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

11. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Kingmere

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

12. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Lundy

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

13. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: The Manacles

    • 21 January 2016
    • Map

14. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Medway Estuary

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

15. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: North East of Farnes Deep

    • 21 January 2016
    • Map

16. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Padstow Bay and Surrounds

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

17. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Pagham Harbour

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

18. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Poole Rocks

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

19. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Skerries Bank and Surrounds

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

20. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: South Dorset

    • 21 January 2016
    • Map

21. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: South-West Deeps (West)

    • 21 January 2016
    • Map

22. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Swallow Sand

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

23. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Tamar Estuary

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

24. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Thanet Coast

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

25. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Torbay

    • 21 January 2016
    • Map

26. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Upper Fowey and Pont Pill

    • 21 January 2016
    • Map

27. Marine conservation zone 2013 designation: Whitsand and Looe Bay

    • 21 November 2013
    • Map

Published 21 November 2013
Last updated 4 February 2016 + show all updates

1. 4 February 2016 Updated GIS data on designated MCZs is now available.
2. 17 January 2016 Page reviewed and updated as 23 new MCZ designations have been announced.
3. 21 November 2013 First published.