Twenty-three percent of Jersey’s territorial waters will receive far-reaching protections from destructive fishing practices after States members unanimously approved the island’s first Marine Spatial Plan in a landmark vote.

The plan, which passed with 40 votes in favour and no votes against, sets out how the Jersey’s ‘marine estate’ should be managed in future and aims to balance marine conservation with the interests of the fishing industry.

While the Assembly supported the main proposition put forward by the environment minister, and also approved an amendment for a robust monitoring framework and timeline to better track the implementation of the plan, it rejected multiple attempts to expand protected zones.

The approved plan will increase marine protected areas from 6% to 23% of Jersey’s waters – meaning that boats that dredge and trawl will be banned from operating within these zones. It will also establish a three-tier framework of Regulated Fishing Zones, Seabed Protection Zones, and No Take Zones.

More than 150 comments from local businesses, charities, organisations and individuals, were taken into account when putting together the version of the plan that was approved. A letter from Jersey’s Fishermen’s Association was read out, and it warned that proposed amendments could increase conflicts with French fishers and force Jersey’s fleet into more dangerous and distant waters.

The debate leading up to the final vote was mostly about the need to strike a balance between environmental preservation and economic interests.

To read the full press article in the Bailiwick Express click here