HL Deb 25 January 1999 vol 596 cc124-5WA
Lord Moran

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any plans to establish marine protected areas similar to that which the Canadian Government are to set up in the Gully, 200 kilometres off the coast of Nova Scotia. [HL538]

Lord Whitty

The UK has three marine nature reserves. There are also over 30 candidate special areas of conservation proposed in coastal waters for eventual designation under the EU Habitats Directive. The Government's consultation proposals on better protection and management of SSSIs refer to the intention to set up a working party to consider the options for improving marine sites and species.

In July, at the ministerial meeting of the OSPAR Commission in Sintra, we adopted a new annex on the protection and conservation of marine ecosystems. Together with the other OSPAR contracting parties, we also undertook to promote the establishment of a network of marine protected areas to ensure the sustainable use, protection and conservation of marine biological diversity and its ecosystems.