The MPA Coalition met recently in Fishmongers Hall, in London, to shape its future work programme. The Coalition has been active for six months and has firmly established itself as a way of holding Government and the nature conservation agencies to account on marine protected areas.
Chairman of the Coalition Dr Stephen Lockwood said,
“We are entering a critical stage in the establishment of marine conservation zones; yet it is clear that there is a huge amount of fear within the fishing industry that this is a juggernaut that will not be stopped. There are genuine concerns that fishermen will be displaced from their customary fishing grounds and will lose their livelihoods.
