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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| New marine zone plans scrapped by minister | New marine zone plans scrapped by minister |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Controversial plans for 10 marine conservation zones have been withdrawn by a Welsh government minister. | Controversial plans for 10 marine conservation zones have been withdrawn by a Welsh government minister. |
| Alun Davies told AMs that despite a consultation on giving greater protection to areas, he has launched an assessment of existing marine protected areas to see if changes are needed. | Alun Davies told AMs that despite a consultation on giving greater protection to areas, he has launched an assessment of existing marine protected areas to see if changes are needed. |
| Creating the zones would mean a ban on fishing and anchoring in some areas. | Creating the zones would mean a ban on fishing and anchoring in some areas. |
| The Welsh Fishermen's Association said previously that existing conservation networks for Welsh waters are adequate. | The Welsh Fishermen's Association said previously that existing conservation networks for Welsh waters are adequate. |
| 'Strongly held views' | |
| The Welsh government proposed the zones last year with the backing of the Countryside Council of Wales and the Marine Conservation Society. | |
| The minister for natural resources said the decision had been made following almost 7,000 responses to the consultation that expressed "divergent and strongly held views". | |
| Mr Davies said to "avoid any continuing uncertainty over the options presented in the 2012 consultation, I am also withdrawing all the proposed sites". | |
| His comments come after the findings were published of a task and finish team which reviewed the feedback. | |
| Now, he will concentrate on the existing 125 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that cover 36% of Welsh seas to see if any further improvements can be made rather than creating additional zones. | |
| "We are now in a stronger position to assess our current contribution to the network's ecological coherence," he said. | |
| "I have, therefore, commissioned an assessment of our current MPAs to identify if there are any gaps and what the options might be to fill those gaps. | |
| "If any measures are required, I believe they should be simple, proportionate and fit for purpose." |