Funded by Natual England and supported by (amongst others) the Environment Agency, the RSPB, and The National Trust, Finding Santuary is a project aimed at identifying and implementing the UK's first network of Marine Protected Areas.
"There are a number of principles behind the project, and in particular we are clear on the necessity for strong protection for all sea life (not just the popular ones that we like to eat!).
We are also firm in our belief that sites should be chosen with the close involvement of those that use the sea for livelihood or leisure.
However, there is no tried and tested recipe for how networks of MPAs are chosen and the last 18 months have been focused on developing a plan that will provide a balance between capturing and using the opinions of stakeholders whilst ensuring that the project has a firm ecological foundation."
Finding Sanctuary Newsletter (First Ever Edition)