Irish Sea Conservation Zones works with the people who use, enjoy and make their living from the Irish Sea.

We are helping them to recommend which areas of the Irish Sea should receive further environmental protection, and what form that protection should take.

We are one of four similar projects around England and Wales. The other regional projects are Net Gain in the North Sea, Balanced Seas in south-east England and Finding Sanctuary in south-west England.

The four regional teams are part of the Marine Conservation Zone project, which has been established by Defra, Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee to identify and recommend marine conservation zones to the government.

How we work

We work at arm’s length from our national partners. An independent, professional facilitator is in charge of encouraging and gathering people’s input into the project.

This is the first time that such a ‘stakeholder led’ process has been used in the UK to help identify and recommend marine areas for protection.

The recommended sites must meet certain scientific criteria, while seeking to minimise the social and economic costs and maximise the benefits to society.

They are due to be recommended to the government by June 2011.