Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Accepted
Cessation of funding for Lyme Bay undermines crucial long-term marine data collection.
Conclusion
Long-term data collection is critical to scientific analysis of the effectiveness of marine protection measures such as whole-site protections and their impact on ecosystem recovery. We are concerned that funding for Lyme Bay has stopped, and this will lead to a gap in long-term data collection and undermine marine conservation efforts. (Conclusion, Paragraph 66)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the value of Lyme Bay research and stated that Defra is in discussions with Natural England to continue the long-term monitoring of the site.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government agrees that the research at Lyme Bay is highly valuable, and Defra is in discussion with Natural England (NE) to continue the long-term monitoring of Lyme Bay. Lyme Bay is an important site in the network of MPAs. With the support of Defra, Lyme Bay is the longest socioecological monitoring study of an MPA site, with 15 years of dedicated marine conservation research.