Plans for more Marine Conservation Zones in Cornwall are in the pipeline and the public are being asked to have their say.

The sites include the Western Channel to the south-east of the Lizard Peninsula,  Mounts Bay, an area of nine km2 between Kelsey Head, west of Crantock Beach, and Trevelgue Head at Porth Beach

Nationally the 23 sites proposed will cover 10,810km2 of our seas, "protecting important seabed habitats and species".

The evidence collected in the public consultation will help "ensure sites with important wildlife, plants or geological features are protected, whilst ensuring long-term economic security for coastal businesses and communities".

Marine environment minister and Camborne and Redruth MP George Eustice said: “We’re doing more than ever to protect our seas, preserving incredible underwater landscapes and helping our sea life flourish.

“We’ve already created 27 Marine Conservation Zones and a quarter of English inshore waters are in protected areas.

“It is important we secure the future of our coastal communities as part of our long-term economic plan. We want to support these communities while protecting our marine life. We’re asking everyone with an interest in our sea to respond to our consultation so we can create new protected areas and ensure our seas remain healthy and productive for generations to come.”

The 23 sites have been proposed with a focus on opportunities to add to the current network of Marine Protected Areas, giving further protection to vulnerable species and habitats in our seas.

One of the recommended MCZs is known as Western Channel, 54 km to the south-east of the Lizard Peninsula, with an area of 1,614 km2. The sandy habitats here are home to burrowing anemones, segmented worms, sea urchins and hermit crabs. Flat fish and sand eels can also be found camouflaged on the surface of the sand. The site also helps link up our network of MCZs.

Another recommended MCZs is Mounts Bay, an area of almost 12 km2 surrounding St. Michael’s Mount. The area includes a variety of habitats including seagrass beds, important for several species including the stalked jellyfish.

Newquay and the Gannel, covering an area of 9 km2 between Kelsey Head, west of Crantock Beach, and Trevelgue Head at Porth Beach, has also been proposed. The site is home to important species such as the rare giant goby, branching sponges, sea squirts, kelp and large seaweeds.

This consultation is the second tranche of MCZs. The first saw 27 sites, totalling 9,664 km2, designated as Marine Conservation Zones in November 2013. We aim to designate this second tranche within one year, followed by a third tranche to complete our contribution to an ecologically coherent network of sites in the North East Atlantic.

Both the Marine Conservation Zones and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive consultations can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/protecting-and-sustainably-using-the-marine-environment