Allonby Bay on the Solway Firth is one of five sites that has been proposed by Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) as a Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA). These will be the strongest ever protection measures for our seas.

The Wildlife Trusts have been calling for HPMAs for three years, with the support of over 10,000 people who have called for greater protection of marine life. This new designation will ban all damaging activities within their boundaries. By safeguarding all wildlife and habitats, HPMAs will give nature the best chance to recover, benefitting not only each place but large parts of the sea around them.

Along with Wildlife Trusts from around England, Cumbria Wildlife Trust submitted recommended sites to Defra which we believe have the most to gain from HPMA designation and will act as star examples of the benefits HPMA designation can bring. We’re delighted to hear that Allonby Bay has been chosen to progress to the next stage of the process, going forward for public consultation as part of five sites shortlisted from around England.

David Sharrod, Chair of Trustees at Cumbria Wildlife Trust said: "This is excellent news and a great success - we’re absolutely delighted. Cumbria Wildlife Trust has campaigned for HPMAs and for this site for many years – with the support of thousands of members and supporters at various stages. It was worth them writing all those letters and speaking to their MPs! So the success of our campaign with Government is massively welcome. It is thanks to the hard work of many people who share a vision of a vibrant and healthy Living Irish Sea."
 
"This very significant news means there would be no fishing in these HPMAs. This will allow fish stocks to recover and evidence from other places demonstrates that the catch of local fishers is likely to go up as a result. We care passionately about restoring wildlife in the Irish Sea - this is an urgent task and I urge everyone to take part in the Defra consultation survey."
 
"We’re looking to the Government to declare more sites in the Irish Sea as HPMAs as soon as possible – and to the North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NWIFCA) to implement protection measures as soon as possible." 

Georgia de Jong Cleyndert, Senior Marine Conservation Officer for the North West Wildlife Trusts said: “It is absolutely fantastic news that Allonby Bay is proposed as one of five of the first UK sites to be designated an HPMA, offering the highest level of protection in England’s seas.

“The site contains large areas of blue mussels and the best example of honeycomb worm reefs in the UK, which provide habitat for a wealth of different species. Subtidal sands and gravel habitats in the area are important spawning and nursery grounds for plaice, skate and thornback rays, and it is a pupping ground for harbour porpoise.”

“Allonby Bay was one of four sites in the Irish Sea that the North West Wildlife Trusts put forward for designation. This is a very positive step forward, but these five sites must pave the way for further improving the protection and management of all designated sites around the UK, to create a network of highly protected areas to ensure our seas are healthy and resilient”.

Georgia continued: “Our seas are under pressure like never before; decades of over exploitation, pollution and unchecked development have resulted in continued biodiversity loss and a degradation of the marine habitats. In theory HPMAs will ban all extractive and damaging activities, such as taking anything out of the sea or coast, or building anything in the area. This would mean no activities such as fishing, angling, anchoring or cabling but non-damaging activities such as walking and kayaking can take place."

Following the announcement, there will be a 12 week consultation (until 28 September) on the proposed locations, here.

The designation of HPMAs will act as a mechanism for marine recovery and should contribute to the Government’s commitment to protect 30% of our seas by 2030. HPMAs will also act as a natural solution to help store carbon and tackle climate change, as well as generating benefits through tourism, recreation and marine education.

On World Oceans Day 2021, Defra announced it would begin the process for designating HPMAs by the end of 2022, setting an ambitious commitment to protect our seas. Georgia said: “The Wildlife Trusts believe there is an overwhelming case for the designation of HPMAs across our seas which would see a ban on all damaging activities, offering the strictest possible protections for the marine environment and giving nature the best chance of recovery.”

Allonby Bay hugs the coast into the Solway Firth and includes two extremely important areas for marine life, Dubmill Scar and Maryport Roads. The area is highly diverse containing many different species of sponge, soft coral, seaweed, sea squirt, anemone and the reef-building honeycomb worms which is at its most northern extent. Allonby Bay was designated a Marine Conservation Zone in 2016.

In England, nationally important habitats and species are protected through Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). The UK Government designated the MCZ network through a phased approach and designated the first 27 sites at the end of 2013. Following campaigning by The Wildlife Trusts and others, by 2019 there were 91 MCZs, 10 of which are in the Irish Sea.

However, damaging activities may still take place in current marine protected areas. Science has shown that areas that are fully protected from all damaging activities recover more quickly and provide vital protection for marine life and carbon stores. Moreover, they benefit surrounding areas through the ‘spill-over effect’ as the protected area acts like a nursery for fast-recovering sea life. Therefore, a network of highly protected marine areas will enable the marine environment to recover, thrive and improve its resilience to climate change.