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<p>The UK has made good progress towards protecting our native marine species and
habitats. Over 23% of UK waters are now protected within Marine Protected Areas. This
includes 296 sites (excluding Isle of Man and the Channel islands) covering an area
of 206,000km<sup>2</sup>.</p><p>The UK’s network of marine Special Areas of Conservation
is now largely complete. Earlier this year, we classified additional marine Special
Protection Areas for birds. Further such sites are due for classification in the near
future. These will be in addition to over 100 existing Special Protection Areas with
marine components in our network.</p><p>A third and final tranche of Marine Conservation
Zones will be consulted on in the first half of 2018 with designations to be completed
within 12 months of consultation. We are aiming for the third tranche to complete
our contribution to the international ecologically coherent network in the north east
Atlantic and also our domestic obligation to form a network of sites which protect
the range of features in the UK marine area.</p>
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