Steve Double, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay, has welcomed the Government announcement of a new marine Special Protection Area to safeguard rare seabirds.
Nearly 150,000 rare seabirds – including the iconic little tern and black-throated diver – will be better protected as the UK’s ‘Blue Belt’ of marine protected areas extends by over 650 square miles.
A newly classified marine Special Protection Area (SPA) will come into force along a 24 mile stretch of coast from Falmouth Bay to St Austell Bay. The area – equivalent to almost 55,000 football pitches – is the UK’s most important site for the wintering black throated diver. This new protection will help to minimise disturbance to the feeding areas and marine habitats the birds rely on, providing a safe haven where they can spend the winter.
Commenting, Steve said:
“Marine SPAs are sites given special status to protect populations of rare, vulnerable and migratory birds. These latest designations off our Cornish coast will help to safeguard the feeding grounds of over one quarter of the UK’s breeding population of little terns.”
“The UK is already a world leader in marine conservation, with over 23 per cent of our waters protected, and these new sites will help to strengthen our Blue Belt and give rare seabirds like the little tern a brighter future.”
“There is always more to do and along with my work with Surfers Against Sewage to raise awareness of and kick start the Government’s work on reducing the amount of plastic from the UK that ends up in the sea, I look forward to our marine environments becoming a better place for every creature that lives in them.”