The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has published a consultation on the review of Northern Ireland’s Marine Protected Areas strategy.

Since the publication and implementation of the original Marine Protected Area (MPA) Strategy in 2014, several key strategic policy drivers have been developed at global, UK and Northern Ireland levels relating to biodiversity loss and climate change. Understanding of how MPAs function and the role that marine ecosystems play in climate change adaptation and mitigation has also grown significantly over this time.

Recognising this, in February 2022, the DAERA Minister made an Oral Statement to the Northern Ireland Assembly announcing this current review of the MPA Strategy, acknowledging the role that MPAs play in addressing biodiversity loss and their potential application as a nature-based solution to support adaptation and resilience to climate change.

The consultation document details the reviewed MPA Strategy for Northern Ireland 2024-2030. It has been developed using a co-design approach with the Biodiversity and Climate Stakeholder Working Group through three facilitated workshops and on-to-one meetings that took place through 2022 and 2023.

Northern Ireland’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network. Source: DAERA

New review of MPA strategy

DAERA and its stakeholders have reviewed Northern Ireland’s Marine Protected Areas Strategy, which was first published in 2014. The Department is now consulting on the Marine Protected Areas Strategy for the Northern Ireland Inshore Area 2024-2030 and would like to gather views.

The Marine Protected Areas Strategy for the Northern Ireland Inshore Area 2024-30 consultation document provides an outline of the policy drivers for the development of this strategy and sets out the Objectives and Actions which we consider necessary to ensure that our marine protected areas are managed to address biodiversity loss while providing adaptation and resilience to climate change.

The closing date for comments is 11 July 2024 at 17:00. The consultation document can be read here.