Finding Sanctuary will be succesful if, in 2011, the project recommends to Natural England and the JNCC, a suite of Marine Conservation Zones for the south-west that:

• fulfil the Marine Protected Area ecological network guidance set by Natural England and the JNCC.
• are broadly supported by the Steering Group.

Stakeholders should feel that:

• they support the location of sites and the protection levels recommended.
• they have had opportunities to engage throughout the process.
• the process has been transparent and fair.
• there is a clear rationale for why each site has been selected as an MCZ.

The overall success of the project will rely on Government implementing the MCZs planned through the Finding Sanctuary stakeholder participation process.

Success for Finding Sanctuary will also be measured on a longer timescale, since the recovery of marine habitats and wildlife may be slow and unpredictable. It may be several years before the benefits begin to show, and it could be many years before they come to fruition. Once the network has been formally established in 2012, it is important that changes to the marine environment are monitored. The longer term success of Finding Sanctuary will need to be borne out in measurable recovery and conservation of biodiversity within the network.