Mike Hancock News
MP says we must grasp opportunity to improve our seas along Hampshire coastline
Mike Hancock, MP has said that we must grasp the opportunity presented by a new law to improve our seas along the Hampshire coast. This comes as he met with representatives from the local wildlife trusts in Parliament as they launched their new vision at the House of Commons entitled "Living Seas". They say the new Marine and Coastal Access Act presents an opportunity to improve Britain's coastal waters as a habitat for marine life.
Mike said: "I am pleased to support the Wildlife Trusts' vision for "Living Seas". We are an island nation and people feel a strong connection with our beautiful coastline and the sea around us, particularly here in Portsmouth and Hampshire. We must now use this new law to try and turn their vision into reality. I have pledged to support the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust in this essential work and have signed a House of Commons motion calling for more action to be taken to protect Britain's natural marine habitat."
TV Presenter and President of the Wildlife Trusts, Professor Aubrey Manning said: "We very much welcome the support we have had from parliamentarians for the Marine and Coastal Access Act. Now it is time to take this further. We need an effective and well-managed network of Marine Protected Areas by 2012 which will help us, The Wildlife Trusts, and our partners and supporters, to achieve Living Seas, and within a generation."
Notes:
There are 47 Wildlife Trusts across the whole of the UK. They work for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone. With nearly 800,000 members, they are the largest UK voluntary organisation dedicated to conserving the full range of the UK's habitats and species, whether they be in the countryside, in cities or at sea. They manage 2,200 nature reserves covering more than 84,000 hectares. For further information visit http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/. For more information on their Living Seas vision schemes please go to http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/index.php?section=environment:marine:ourwork
Mike has signed Early Day Motion 640 - which says: "That this House congratulates The Wildlife Trusts on the launch of their Living Seas vision, which sets out their aspirations for the future of UK seas and The Wildlife Trusts' role in restoring the marine environment to good health; recognises the vital contribution that healthy seas make to our quality of life, from providing seafood to absorbing carbon; recognises that the recently passed Marine and Coastal Access Act provides a new framework for managing and protecting UK seas; welcomes the recent designation of Lundy Island as the first Marine Conservation Zone created under the Act; and urges politicians of all parties to commit to the spirit of the legislation and its effective and timely implementation, including the designation of an ecologically coherent network of marine protected areas by 2012."
It can be accessed at: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=40224&SESSION=903
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