Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Acknowledged
Reinstate DEFRA funding for sustained long-term data collection and monitoring at Lyme Bay.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) reinstates funding to ensure the long-term data collection and monitoring at Lyme Bay is sustained to enable scientific analysis of the benefits of whole-site approaches for marine protection. We urge DEFRA to make this decision urgently to ensure the continuous data collection at this site is not compromised. (Recommendation, Paragraph 67)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees the Lyme Bay research is valuable and states Defra is in discussion with Natural England to continue the long-term monitoring of the site, but does not confirm immediate reinstatement of funding or guarantee its sustainment.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
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.