Age matters when determining how to protect life in the ocean; every population needs a strong cohort of adults to produce the next generation. But many marine protected areas (MPAs) are falling short of their most basic purpose: to rebuild struggling fish populations. In a new study published in Global Change Biology, scientists looked at the age breakdown […]
A group of conservation organisations are calling on planners to work together to ensure that wildlife is protected in the Irish Sea. The ‘Ecological Considerations for Marine Spatial Planning in the Irish Sea’ report urges planners in all six nations bordering the Irish Sea to collaborate and cooperate “for the sake of nature”. The Irish […]
A UK Parliament ‘Westminster Hall’ debate has been scheduled for 3.30pm on Tuesday 2 May on Marine Protected Areas. The debate will be opened by Chris Grayling MP. Back in March 2022, the MP for Epsom and Ewell introduced a Ten Minute Rule Motion entitled ‘Marine Protected Areas (Bottom Trawling)’. At that time, Chris Grayling, […]
Damaging fishing activity will be prohibited in four Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) using new powers under the Fisheries Act. The four byelaws ban the use of bottom trawls, dredges, demersal seines and semi-pelagic trawls, collectively known as bottom towed gear, over certain areas. There are also additional restrictions in two of the sites preventing the […]
An article in Yachting Monthly on the question of whether sailors should welcome or be worried by the expanding network of Marine Protected Area. The piece gives some of the background to MPAs in the UK and how this has evolved into the current suite of 127 Marine Conservation Zones. Richard Hill, the Royal Yachting […]
Part of the UK Government’s ‘Benefits of Brexit’ document contains a small section entitled ‘Flourishing offshore Marine Protected Areas’. The report talks of ‘one of the biggest challenges for the UK previously was securing other countries’ endorsement for offshore Marine Protected Areas management measures through the Common Fisheries Policy process. Now that we are an […]
There are 48 MPAs in the Northern Ireland inshore region that cover 38% of the area. The latest assessments for both the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and Habitats Directive have identified that overall, the benthic habitats are not reaching the required status, and that the main pressure is from physical damage of the seabed from […]
The task for this independent group of experts, was to set out next steps for a coherent, representative, connected and resilient network of MPAs for Ireland. Thinking not just about biodiversity loss but also how the MPA network could contribute to wider ecosystem-based management with other objectives including sustainable fisheries management, resilience to climate change […]