Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is responsible for managing fishing and marine non-licensable activities (mNLA) in England’s marine protected areas (MPAs). This includes ensuring fishing and mNLA management measures are put in place for England’s highly protected marine areas (HPMAs).
MPAs are areas of the ocean established to protect habitats, species and processes essential for healthy, functioning marine ecosystems.
The purpose of an MPA is to protect and recover rare threatened and important marine ecosystems, habitats and species from damage caused by human activities.
In England, MPAs are designated to protect marine ecosystems or specific habitats or species (also known as ‘features’) and have conservation objectives which state what conservation outcomes the MPA is designed to achieve.
Highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) are a type of MPA. HPMAs are designated to receive the highest levels of protection and allow for the recovery of all species, habitats and associated ecosystem processes within the site boundary.
There are 178 MPAs in English waters, covering 51% of inshore and 37% of offshore waters. To view all English MPAs visit Marine Protected Area Mapper by JNCC - Adviser to Government on Nature Conservation.
Highly protected marine areas
Highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) are a type of MPA. They are areas of the sea that have been designated to receive the highest levels of protection and allow for the full recovery of marine ecosystems. HPMAs protect all species, habitats and associated ecosystem processes within the site boundary, including the seabed, shore and water column.
The first three HPMA designations in English waters came into force on 5 July 2023.
The importance of MPAs
Protecting MPA species and habitats contributes to healthier marine ecosystems, and the maintenance and restoration of valuable ecosystem services (the goods and benefits we gain from having healthy ecosystems).
Marine ecosystems are essential for primary production and climate regulation, providing vital functions which support life.
Marine ecosystems enable habitat formation and species diversification, generating primary and secondary biomass. This supports the process of fixing carbon and nutrients into organic matter (primary production) and the subsequent flow of energy, carbon, and nutrients from one organism to another through the food web (secondary production).
As an example of an ecosystem service, the maintenance of fish and shellfish populations enables the natural environment to provide stock for our seafood industry. This ecosystem service subsequently brings benefits to society, including nutrition and employment now and for the future.
Ecosystem services not only support the healthy functioning of the marine environment, they can also generate tourism, provide recreational benefits (such as scuba diving and sea angling) and contribute to human wellbeing.
Our MPA management responsibilities
We manage fishing in MPAs (including HPMAs) offshore of 6 nautical miles and manage marine non-licensee activities in MPAs/HPMAs inshore of 12 nautical miles. We also work closely with inshore fisheries and conservation authorities (IFCAs) and have powers to manage fishing in MPAs/HPMAs inshore of 6 nautical miles where appropriate.
Our dedicated pages provide further information:
- Collection - Managing fishing in marine protected areas
- Guidance - Managing marine non-licensable activities in marine protected areas
To ensure decisions on MPA management are informed by the best available evidence and a wide range of perspectives, we regularly request views from stakeholders and the public.
This is undertaken through a range of methods including calls for evidence on MMO assessments of the impacts of activities, workshops, informal engagement and formal consultations on proposed MMO management. Further information is available to help you understand the MMOs byelaw making process.