Consultation closes 20 March 2023 The Scottish Government is consulting on the introduction of Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in Scottish waters. Through the Bute House Agreement the Scottish Government has to designate at least 10% of Scotland’s seas as HPMAs by 2026. The intention is that the HPMAs will provide high levels of protection for conservation […]
Closes 28th September 2022 Defra has launched a consultation on proposals to designate pilot Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), including a candidate site of Allonby Bay, Cumbria. In 2019 the UK Government commissioned an independent review, the Benyon Review, to explore the concept of HPMAs. The Review concluded that they are an essential component of […]
On World Ocean Day 2019, the then Defra Secretary of State, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, launched an independent review on Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in the waters for which the Secretary of State has responsibility: the English inshore and offshore and Northern Ireland offshore zones. The review was led by former Environment and […]