Today’s news that the Marine and Coastal Access Bill has received Royal Assent has been welcomed by Net Gain, the dynamic new project that has been set up to identify Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in the English North Sea.
Net Gain, based in Hull, is aiming to work with as many sea user and interest groups as possible to plan new Marine Conservation Zones throughout their project area, which runs the length of the the English coastline from the Scottish border to Felixstowe.
By working with groups such as sea anglers, fishermen and divers, the team at Net Gain aim to build an accurate picture of how the sea is used and present these groups and individuals with a unique opportunity to shape the sustainable future of the North Sea.
Joanna Redhead, Net Gain’s Project Manager said:
‘’Net Gain is one of four regional MCZ projects covering the south-west (Finding Sanctuary), Irish Sea (Irish Sea Conservation Zones), North Sea (Net Gain) and south-east (Balanced Seas). The Marine and Coastal Access Act marks the official start of an exciting process. By taking this new approach, we aim to bring science and knowledge together at a local level, giving sea users a unique opportunity to have their say. Working like this gives us the best chance to build ownership and long term sustainability around the MCZ sites for now and into the future”
Net Gain will be holding a series of roadshow events and open meetings from Newcastle to Lowestoft to launch the project and give interested parties the chance to find out more about how they can get involved. These events will be taking place in the weeks commencing 11th and 18th January 2010.
