National marine park plan moves forward
A campaign to create Britain’s first national marine park centred on Plymouth Sound has taken a big step forward.
Plymouth City Council has submitted a bid for £250,000 to Defra and the EU to develop the proposal, which generated national and international backing at a conference in June.
The bid follows a meeting in the summer between council leader Tudor Evans and fisheries bosses from the EU and Defra, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
In the summer, Environment Secretary Michael Gove told the WMN that a proposal for a new national marine park centred on Plymouth was “worth considering”.
There are now hopes that a review of national parks, ordered by Mr Gove, will include the marine park plans.
Cllr Evans said: “Plymouth is the natural choice for the UK’s first national marine park. We are Britain’s Ocean city, with a stunning and vibrant waterfront and a huge natural harbour.
“We have an unparalleled and rich maritime heritage and a successful and productive fishing industry, which ranges from small inshore boats to large pelagic vessels.
“Plymouth is one of the largest fishing ports in England. We are world-renowned for marine science and engineering.
“Plymouth is host to the largest operational naval base in Western Europe.”
The bid will aim to build on the success of the national conference, “Marine Parks: Bringing it all back home”, organised in association with the Blue Marine Foundation in the National Marine Aquarium in June.
Campaigners say the fragmented nature of marine protection leaves the public confused and poorly engaged, and a marine park would bring together the wide range of marine protection that already exists, from special areas of conservation to marine protected areas. Charles Clover, executive director of the Blue Marine Foundation, said yesterday that the funding bid was “a fantastic start”.
“It is very heartening that Plymouth can just go on and do this all by itself, taking out the drag on the system that might otherwise exist if it had to be agreed at a national level. There is a real need for the national park concept to be used to manage other places of great scenic and touristic value.”
He said Lyme Bay off the Devon/Dorset coast and parts of Cornwall and the Solent were also good candidates.
“The value of a national park is that it doesn’t do anything petty like protecting a worm nobody has heard of – it protects a seascape that people have loved for centuries.”
Plymouth Cabinet member Sue Dann said: “National marine park status would give recognition as an area with so much to offer and all the fantastic work that we do here with our partners.
“Our marine environment is host to two special areas of conservation, one special protection area, two marine conservation zones, three areas of outstanding natural beauty and numerous historic wrecks.”
Maritime and Environment Correspondent ‘Plymouth is the natural choice for the national marine park’
Councillor Tudor Evans