Over the last two weeks stakeholder workshops, which aim to identifiy the best places for Marine Conservation Zones, have taken place in Runcorn, Liverpool , Blackpool and today (Tuesday) in Penrith.

The North West Wildlife Trusts (Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and North Merseyside, and Cheshire) have long campaigned for greater protection of the fabulous wildlife of the Irish Sea and for a bill to create marine protected areas, which will act to better protect our 6,000 species from damage and extinction.

Dr Kathryn Turner (the North West Wildlife Trusts Irish Sea Advocacy Officer) is delighted to stand up for local marine wildlife in these workshops along with key members of the Trusts’ staff. Dr Turner says:

“The marine bill is a very welcome opportunity to act together to protect the huge diversity of marine life in our local sea. We have some amazing habitats and species that are adapted to the sand and muds of the Irish sea and are unique in the UK. Where else can you see burrowing urchins, sand digging cuttlefish, worms that build sand houses and basking sharks that grow to 30ft eating only plankton?!

These Marine Conservation Zone workshops have been a chance to talk to local sea users about our local sea and to represent those 6,000 Irish Sea species that provide us with clean water, moderated temperatures, amazing underwater landscapes and food through the process of designating protected sites.“

This first round of Marine Conservation Zone stakeholder workshops conclude today at Penrith's Rheged Centre and begin the long process of identifying what species and habitats we have in the Irish Sea, and how we use them, and will ultimately lead to the UK Marine Bill’s stated outcome of ‘an ecologically coherent network of marine protected areas.’

For further information on The Wildlife Trusts living seas marine work please visit our website at http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/index.php?section=environment:marine
and join our petition for fully protected marine reserves at http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/index.php?section=marinebill:reservespetition