Marine nature reserves in Britain: past lessons, current status and future issues

This paper reviews experiences with voluntary and statutory marine nature reserves in Britain, and considers what lessons can be applied to the designation of 39 marine special areas of conservation that are currently being pursued under the Habitats Directive. It is argued that these experiences indicate that cautious approaches which provide for the meaningful participation of stakeholders can be successful in both achieving nature conservation objectives and promoting cooperation, and that a reliance on statutory powers can exacerbate conflicts and undermine the potential for cooperation. It is concluded that there is a need to put concepts into practice by shifting from the consultation interpretation paradigm to one based on meaningful stakeholder participation and joint planning if the major opportunity provided by the Habitats Directive is not to be jeopardised.