We’ve launched our new Marine Protected Area (MPA) online mapper – an interactive resource that presents spatial data for the 355 MPAs in UK waters and includes sites designated by Crown Dependencies.
The mapper displays MPA boundaries for the whole of the UK, Isle of Man and Jersey. It distinguishes the range of designations that comprise the UK MPA network and the regions in which they are found, from inshore waters to the UK Continental Shelf limit. Individual MPAs are searchable and a pop-up window provides information on the features afforded protection.
The tool:
- Communicates the scale of the UK MPA network and allows users to explore all MPAs in UK and Crown Dependency waters
- Presents the biological and geological evidence that underpinned the designation of offshore MPAs, plus the latest monitoring evidence used to inform our offshore MPA conservation advice
- Provides downloads and web services so that users can take data for their own use, where permissions allow, or pull the layers onto their own mapping portals
Hugh Wright, MPA Evidence Manager said: “We’ve listened to feedback from our users and developed a much more modern and user-friendly interactive tool for exploring the UK MPA network. We’re really pleased with the outcome and are looking to expand the mapper to cover other parts of JNCC’s work on MPAs.”