MARINE CONSERVATION

WILDLIFE in our Irish Sea could receive protection after the Government announced a consultation on 41 proposed Marine Conservation Zones around the UK.

Six areas in the Irish Sea have been included in the public consultation: the Ribble Estuary and the Wyre and Lune Estuaries off Lancashire, West of Copeland and the Solway Firth off Cumbria, and Queenie Corner and South Rigg in the western Irish Sea.

The Government are looking for the views and support from people living in the area to ensure that they are protected into the future.

Marine Conservation Zones are areas at sea where wildlife is protected from damaging activities. A total of 41 special places have been chosen for the public to comment on; these range from seagrass beds in Studland Bay, Dorset to deep, rich mud habitats in the western Irish Sea.

This is wonderful news for the Irish Sea. We were really hopeful that these wonderful places would be considered for protection, so this is a great step in the right direction.

Estuaries are vitally important areas for wildlife, and not just for the hundreds of thousands of wading birds and geese that arrive every winter to feed on the mud flats.

South Rigg, extremely important due to the presence of the Irish Sea Mounds, contains the only known breeding population of ocean quahog clams in the Irish Sea.

These little molluscs can live for over 500 years, making them the longest-lived animals in the world. Because they are have a lot to tell us about the history of our seas and climate change.

We want the people of Cheshire, who cherish their seas, to have their say in the consultation to protect our local wildlife.

We will be launching a petition on our website over the coming days for people to pledge their support.

We need to demonstrate how much people care about our coasts and seas to secure protection.

If designated, these areas would join the Fylde and West of Walney, Allonby Bay and Cumbria Coast Marine Conservation Zones.

However we can’t help being disappointed that two vital areas of deep sea mud in the Irish Sea – home to and sea pens and Dublin Bay prawns – are missing from the consultation.

But the included Zones will start to create a network of protection for our seas.

This is great news for people and wildlife.

The Wildlife Trusts are calling on the public to back the 41 potential Marine Conservation Zones in the consultation – details of how to do this will be added to our MCZ page.

The consultation closes on Friday, July 20.