Consultation outcome

Highly Protected Marine Areas pilot sites

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 6 July 2022
• Last updated: 28 February 2023 — See all updates

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Summary of responses

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Annex 1: organisations that responded to the consultation

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Annex 2: summary of points raised in meetings

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Annex 3: quantitative answers to survey questions on Citizen Space

PDF, 1.27 MB, 170 pages

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Detail of outcome

After considering all the responses, and further evidence, received government intends to designate a modified version of Allonby Bay, North East of Farnes Deep and a modified version of Dolphin Head as set out in the consultation, and not to designate Lindisfarne or Inner Silver Pit South. Work will now progress on designating the three sites.

The intention is to designate these three HPMAs before 6 July 2023, within a year of the consultation’s launch, in line with the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. Additional sites will now be explored and any future options will also be subject to consultation.

Detail of feedback received

We received over 900 responses to this consultation.

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Original consultation

Summary

The UK government is consulting on pilot Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in English waters for biodiversity recovery.

This consultation was held on another website.

This consultation ran from
9:30am on 6 July 2022 to 11:45pm on 28 September 2022

Consultation description

We want to know your views on designating a number of pilot HPMAs in English waters.

In 2021, the UK government committed to piloting a number of HPMAs in response to the Benyon Review. Five candidate sites have now been identified.

The consultation seeks views and additional information on each of these sites to inform a final decision as to which HPMAs should be designated.

Published 6 July 2022
Last updated 28 February 2023 + show all updates

1. 28 February 2023

   Added the summary of responses.

2. 13 December 2022

   Updated the page to say the summary of responses will be published in early 2023.

3. 6 July 2022

   First published.