These are among 41 new MCZs being announced by Defra this week around the whole country.  

Bryony Chapman, Senior Marine Officer at Kent Wildlife Trust, said: “These five new designations add to the six Marine Conservation Zones previously designated around Kent and they mark another important step towards the creation of a full network of sites protecting examples of all our precious marine life and habitats.  

“Kent Wildlife Trust was heartened by the thousands of people around Kent who supported the campaign to secure the designation of these sites during the public consultation in spring last year.”

Kent Wildlife Trust is hugely indebted to our dedicated Shoresearch and Seasearch volunteers who helped us to survey habitats and species all around the Kent coast and provided vital evidence to enable these sites to be identified as potential MCZs in 2011, and now finally to be brought through to designation in 2019. 

Evan Bowen-Jones, Chief Executive at Kent Wildlife Trust added: “This is only the beginning of the story. Now we need to see good management of these special places to stop damaging activities such as beam-trawling or dredging, which continues to harm our fragile marine wildlife”. 

There remain some important habitats which are not covered by the current network, and Kent Wildlife Trust will continue to work to try and ensure that our ocean wildlife has the best possible chance of recovery.

N.B the five new MCZ’s in and around Kent are Goodwin Sands, Swanscombe, Foreland, Kentish Knock East and Inner Bank.  

For further information or interviews, please contact Vic Hill, Communications Manager at Kent Wildlife Trust, on 01622 357832 or [email protected].