On 31 May it was announced that Environment Secretary Michael Gove has created 41 new Marine Conservation Zones. This marked the most significant expansion of England’s ‘Blue Belt’ of protected areas to date.
The new protections will stretch from Cornwall to Northumberland, protecting 12,000 square kilometres of marine habitat. This announcement follows the government’s manifesto commitment to create a Blue Belt of marine protections for Britain’s overseas territories and its own coast, and builds on the ambition of the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.