Luke Pollard MP, Labour’s Shadow Fisheries, Flooding and Water Minister, responding to the government announcement in creating 41 new Marine Conservation Zones, said:

“To protect habitats, the government must properly fund the enforcement of these marine conservation zones. Otherwise, they risk becoming a network of ‘paper parks’.

 

“Labour will introduce a simple umbrella designation of a ‘National Marine Park’ to help simplify the dizzying array of marine protections for our most important coastal habitats.

 

“Labour-controlled Plymouth City Council is already planning the UK’s first National Marine Park and a Labour Government will seek to roll these new marine parks out around our coast and help drive public awareness of our valuable coastal habitats.”