The European Commission has adopted an ambitious new strategy to halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU by 2020. There are six main targets, and 20 actions to help Europe reach its goal. Biodiversity loss is an enormous challenge in the EU, with around one in four species currently threatened with extinction and 88% of fish stocks over-exploited or significantly depleted.

The six targets cover:

• Full implementation of EU nature legislation to protect biodiversity
• Better protection for ecosystems, and more use of green infrastructure
• More sustainable agriculture and forestry
• Better management of fish stocks
• Tighter controls on invasive alien species
• A bigger EU contribution to averting global biodiversity loss

Target 1, fully implement the Birds and Habitats Directives, is particularly relevant to European Marine Sites.  The targer is “To halt the deterioration in the status of all species and habitats covered by EU nature legislation and achieve a significant and measurable improvement in their status so that, by 2020, compared to current assessments: (i) 100% more habitat assessments and 50% more species assessments under the Habitats Directive show an improved conservation status; and (ii) 50% more species assessments under the Birds Directive show a secure or improved status.”

More detail here

The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 provides powers to better protect and manage the marine environment of Wales. These powers include creating Marine Conservation Zones (MCZ) – a new type of marine protected area. This guidance sets out how the Welsh Government intend to identify highly protected MCZs in Welsh waters.

The guidance and government response to consulation on the guidance are available here.