Guidance on selection and designation of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in the Northern Ireland Inshore Region

This will fulfil the obligations in the Marine Act to contribute to an ecologically coherent UK network of MPAs as well as wider biodiversity commitments at European and global level.

The jusitication report details Priority Marine Features (PMFs), which is a collective term for those features (habitats, species and geological/geomorphological) which are considered to be of conservation importance in the Northern Ireland (NI) inshore region. Proposed MCZ (pMCZ) features are a subset of the PMF list which are used to identify areas of search and will underpin the MCZ designation.

Also included is a FAQ document which was produced as an aid to conservation advisors and stakeholders answering some of the frequently asked questions that have arisen through the Northern Ireland MCZ selection and designation process.