Northumberland IFCA is consulting on proposed management measures for Coquet to St Mary’s Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). The deadline for all responses is 30th September 2019.

Coquet to St Mary’s MCZ is designated for the protection of a number subtidal and intertidal habitats. Northumberland IFCA has duties to manage fisheries within MCZs and to ensure that the conservation objectives of any MCZ in the Authority’s district are furthered. Northumberland IFCA has identified that there are aspects of the use of mobile gear (trawls and dredges) which are not compatible with the site’s conservation objectives. Therefore, the Authority is proposing the following management measures: –

Prohibition on the use of mobile gear within Coquet to St Mary’s MCZ. An exemption may be issued to a vessel which can produce evidence of fishing within this site in the past 3 years.

Exempt vessels can only fish with specified gear (light otter trawling gear only) within the site.

For full details of the proposed management, including details of how responses can be made,  see the full consultation document HERE

We have recently commissioned a set of summary infographics for each of the 11 inshore Marine Protected Areas along the Berwickshire and Northumberland coast. These are designed to be a short encapsulation of the main details of each site.

The infographics can reached through the toolkit section of our website or by following this link.

Photo credit: Iain Robson/Northumberland Coast AONB

The creation of a new Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) off the Northumberland coast was announced by the Government on the 31st May. The Berwick to St Mary’s MCZ is one of 41 new MCZs and brings the number of inshore marine protected areas along the Berwickshire and Northumberland coast to 11.

The site has been designated in recognition of its nationally important numbers of eider duck. The eider is a species of sea duck which feeds on marine molluscs. It can be found on the inshore waters of the Northumberland coast throughout the year. The Farne Islands and Coquet Island are important local breeding sites for the bird.

The site stretches from Berwick-upon-Tweed in the north to St Mary’s Island in the south and covers an area of 634 km2. The southern part of the site overlaps with the similarly named Coquet to St Mary’s MCZ which was designated in 2016 for a range of tidal and subtidal habitats.

Please follow the links below for:

MAP of the MCZ

Factsheet about the MCZ

Designation Order

Natural England has a responsibility to provide Conservation Advice for all Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) within England’s inshore waters (out to 12 nautical miles) to support sites to achieve their conservation objectives and to guide effective management.  A range of  supplementary material is now available online to to aid users navigate and understand Marine Conservation Advice. Resources available include guidance videos, FAQs, an interactive map, glossary and supporting material.

The supporting material can be accessed at this link