Uploaded November 2016 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
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.
© Natural England.org.uk
See Open Government Licence
nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3
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.
© Natural England.org.uk
See Open Government Licence
nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3
