Marine Protected Areas

Our designations

A network of protection

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are designated to safeguard the habitats and species that make our waters unique. Within the NIFCA district, we manage 10 distinct MPAs, each with its own conservation objectives. This network is composed of several designations, each underpinned by specific legislation to maintain high standards of environmental stewardship:

• Special Areas of Conservation (SACs): Established under the Habitats Regulations 2017 to protect globally important habitats and species
• Special Protection Areas (SPAs): Designated to protect and manage areas essential for bird species during breeding, feeding, and migration
• Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs): Created under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 to protect nationally rare or threatened species and habitats
• SSSIs and Ramsar Sites: Sites of Special Scientific Interest and internationally significant wetlands that complete our district’s coherent marine network

View map of MPAs

Evidence gathering

Rigorous assessment & monitoring

NIFCA holds a statutory responsibility to ensure the conservation objectives of every site in our district are met or furthered. We achieve this by meticulously monitoring and assessing how every individual fishing activity interacts with protected features, whether they be specific habitats or mobile species.

This ongoing work is supported by Natural England and follows Defra’s ‘Revised Approach’ to management. Once an assessment is complete, we implement annual Monitoring and Control Plans to track progress. Our evidence-led approach means that the NIFCA district remains a benchmark for the management of Marine Protected Areas in the UK.

Precision tools

Adaptive management in action

When evidence suggests that fishing activity may hinder a site’s recovery or health, we take decisive action through local byelaws. This has led to the successful implementation of the Seagrass Protection Byelaw and the Prohibition of Mobile Fishing Gear within the Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast SAC.

A key focus for 2024-25 was the updated trawling assessment for the Coquet to St Mary’s MCZ. By collaborating with the fishing industry and scientific partners, we developed an adaptive management plan underpinned by Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM).

Using GPS trackers and gear sensors on trawl doors, we can accurately determine the spatial footprint of fishing activity; because the tracker connection to the gear sensor is lost when gear is deployed, we can precisely record time spent actively fishing. This innovative use of technology ensures we manage the MPAs within our district with unprecedented accuracy and transparency.

Our full environmental reports can be found in our dedicated Resource Hub.

Read our reports