MESMA Work Package 6 Celtic Sea Case Study Governance Analysis Finding Sanctuary and England’s Marine Conservation Zone process Louise M. Lieberknecht Wanfei Qiu, Peter J. S. Jones Department of Geography, University College London Report published in January 2013 Table of Contents Cover Note ..........................................................................................................................................7 About the main author (statement of positionality) ......................................................................7 Acknowledgements.........................................................................................................................8 About the references in this report ................................................................................................8 1. Context............................................................................................................................................9 1.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................9 1.1.1 Introduction to the case study...........................................................................................9 1.1.2 History of Finding Sanctuary..............................................................................................9 1.1.3 The Finding Sanctuary region...........................................................................................12 1.1.4 Finding Sanctuary within the context of the English national MCZ Project ....................13 1.1.5 Participants in the regional project..................................................................................16 1.1.6 Final recommendations ...................................................................................................22 1.1.7 Beyond Finding Sanctuary: The on-going national MCZ project......................................25 1.1.8 Basic timeline of Finding Sanctuary and the on-going MCZ process ...............................27 1.2 Socio-economic and political context of the case study.........................................................29 1.2.1 Main economic and social indicators...............................................................................29 1.2.2 The UK’s maritime economy............................................................................................31 1.2.3 Population density ...........................................................................................................33 1.2.4 Administrative structure (England)..................................................................................34 1.2.5 Government bodies with marine responsibilities............................................................35 1.3 Regional policy framework .....................................................................................................38 2 Objectives and management measures.........................................................................................39 2.1 Priority Objective of this case study .......................................................................................39 2.2 Context for marine protected areas in England......................................................................40 2.2.1 Legal underpinning of MPAs in England ..........................................................................40 2.2.2 The Marine Policy Statement...........................................................................................45 2.3 Existing spatial conservation measures ..................................................................................48 2.4 Sectoral legislation, policy, and objectives .............................................................................50 2.4.1 Overview ..........................................................................................................................50 2.4.2 Planning legislation and nationally significant infrastructure projects............................50 2.4.3 The context for the marine renewable energy sector.....................................................53 2.4.4 The context for commercial fisheries ..............................................................................58 2.5 Multi-sector integration..........................................................................................................62 3 Conflicts..........................................................................................................................................66 2 3.1 The five dimensions of conflict in this case study...................................................................66 3.1.1 Introduction to the five conflict dimensions....................................................................66 3.1.2 Existing ‘real’ conflicts (dimension 1) ..............................................................................67 3.1.3 Assumed conflicts (dimension 2) .....................................................................................68 3.1.4 Conflicts about assumptions (dimension 3).....................................................................68 3.1.5 Conflicts about what restrictions should apply (dimension 4) ........................................69 3.1.6 Philosophical conflicts (dimension 5)...............................................................................69 3.2 Driving forces behind the conflicts in this case study.............................................................71 3.2.1 Uncertainty ......................................................................................................................71 3.2.2 Differing world views .......................................................................................................71 3.2.3 The ‘race for space’..........................................................................................................71 3.3 Primary conflicts .....................................................................................................................73 3.3.1 Overview of primary conflicts..........................................................................................73 3.3.2 Commercial Fishing..........................................................................................................74 3.3.3 Renewable Energy............................................................................................................81 3.3.4 Ports.................................................................................................................................90 3.3.5 Recreational activities......................................................................................................95 3.3.6 Aggregate extraction........................................................................................................98 3.3.7 Waste Disposal.................................................................................................................99 3.3.8 Aquaculture......................................................................................................................99 3.3.9 Submarine cables...........................................................................................................100 3.3.10 Reference Areas...........................................................................................................100 3.4 Secondary conflicts (inter-sectoral) ......................................................................................106 3.4.1 Renewable energy and commercial fishing ...................................................................106 3.4.2 Recreational angling and commercial fishing ................................................................106 3.4.3 Shipping and other activities..........................................................................................106 3.5 Secondary conflicts (intra-sectoral, within commercial fishing)...........................................107 3.5.1 The diversity of the fishing sector..................................................................................107 3.5.2 Gear conflict...................................................................................................................107 3.5.3 Inshore / offshore conflict .............................................................................................108 3.5.4 Conflict over engagement with the MCZ process..........................................................108 3.6 Key conflict triangles, trade-offs and synergies....................................................................110 3.6.1 Renewables, fishing and conservation...........................................................................110 3.6.2 Renewables, shipping lanes and conservation ..............................................................112 4 Governance approach and effectiveness.....................................................................................114 4.1 Governance approach...........................................................................................................114 3 4.1.1 One process, two approaches........................................................................................114 4.1.2 Top-down and bottom up elements of the MCZ process..............................................115 4.1.3 Decentralised elements in the MCZ process .................................................................116 4.2 Inter-sectoral