Marine Conservation Society

Full name of organisation: Marine Conservation Society

Short version of name: MCS

Contact person:
Head Office - Samantha Fanshawe
Scotland Office - Calum Duncan (Scottish Marine Policy and MCS Projects) and Dawn Purchase (Mariculture)

Address:
Head Office: Wolf Business Park, Alton Road, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire,HR9 5NB
Scotland Office: 3 Coates Place, Edinburgh, EH3 7AA

Telephone:
Head Office: 01989 566017
Scotland Office: 0131 226 6360 / 0131 226 3113 (Mariculture)

Fax:
Head Office: 01989 567815
Scotland Office: 0131 226 2391

Email:scotland@mcsuk.org and info@mcsuk.org

Website: http://www.mcsuk.org www.adoptabeach.org.uk, www.goodbeachguide.co.uk, www.FISHonline.org, www.seasearch.org.uk

Mission statement: The UK Charity dedicated to protecting our seas, shores and wildlife.

Aims:

• The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) campaigns for clean seas and beaches, sustainable fisheries, protection of marine life and their habitats, and the sensitive use of our marine resources
• Through education, community involvement and collaboration, MCS raises awareness of the many threats that face our seas and promotes individual, industry and government action to protect the marine environment
• MCS provides information and guidance on many aspects of marine conservation and produces the annual Good Beach Guide (www.goodbeachguide.co.uk), the Good Fish Guide and www.fishonline.org on sustainable seafood, as well as promoting public participation in volunteer projects and surveys such as Beachwatch, Adopt-a-Beach, Seasearch and Basking Shark Watch.
• MCS is currently calling for an effective Marine Bill for England and the UK and complimentary legislation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to deliver better protection for marine species and habitats, including a network of marine protected areas for nationally important marine species and habitats and a system for marine spatial planning
  

Charity number: 1004005

Paid staff in Scotland : 2 full time, and 3 part time (two local part-time Seasearch co-ordinators in Aberdeen and Argyll and one entering Seasearch data in MCS Scotland office part-time)

Volunteers: One in office maintaining databases and dozens of beach litter surveying groups and seasearch divers

Date Established: 1978 as Underwater Conservation Society and 1983 as Marine Conservation Society

Members: 4,000 UK wide, of which approximately 10% in Scotland

Local groups: One regional office, MCS Scotland in Edinburgh. Numerous Adopt-a-Beach groups and Seasearch trained divers throughout Scotland

Land owned or managed in Scotland: None

Membership of other umbrella groups: Clean Coast Scotland, National Aquatic Litter Group, Wildlife & Countryside Link, Wales Wildlife & Countryside Link, Green Alliance, Seas at Risk

Publications: Marine Conservation quarterly magazine for members, Strandline newsletter for Adopt-A-Beach volunteers, UK and Scottish Seasearch newsletters for seasearch divers. Seasearch summary reports, Basking Shark Watch 1987-2004 full and summary reports, Good Fish Guide, Good Beach Guide, The Responsible Marine Aquarist, Marine Conservation - UK Action Guide, Seasearch Guide to Sea Anemones & Corals of Britain & Ireland, The Species Directory of the Marine Fauna and Flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas (CD-rom)