22 Oct 2024
The Azores Islands, part of Portugal, have approved the creation of the largest marine protected area (MPA) in the North Atlantic, covering nearly 287,000 square kilometres. The network, called the Azores Marine Protected Area (RAMPA), designates 15% of Azorean waters as fully protected and another 15% as highly protected, restricting or banning fishing and other […]
28 May 2024
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), in collaboration with other UK governmental bodies, is responsible for managing marine non-licensable activities (mNLA) to further the conservation objectives of England’s inshore marine protected areas within 0-12 nautical miles (nm). mNLA activities encompass a range of recreational pursuits, from sailing and motorboating to diving and snorkelling. This excludes fishing […]
23 Apr 2024
The Irish Government has confirmed the establishment of Ireland’s first Marine National Park – Páírc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí. The new park, which is in Co. Kerry, will unite some of Europe’s most ecologically valuable places in celebration of nature across 70,000 acres of lands and seas. It brings together new acquisitions by the National […]
14 Feb 2023
The Red Rocks and Longay Marine Protected Area (MPA), in the Inner Sound of Skye will be permanently designated from 9 February 2023, protecting a flapper skate egg-laying site of national importance from various activities. These include certain types of fishing, recreational sea angling, marine deposit sites/waste disposal, aquaculture, marine infrastructure and anchoring, amongst others. […]
01 Feb 2022
Lord Goldsmith announces UK will support the creation of the world’s biggest transboundary marine protected area. The UK will help to protect some of the world’s most important and biodiverse marine environments in the Eastern Pacific, including key migratory routes for sea turtles, whales, sharks, and rays. At COP26 in Glasgow, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, […]
04 Jan 2022
A socioeconomic analysis [1] commissioned by Seas At Risk and carried out has revealed that a ban on bottom-contacting gear (bottom trawling and bottom dredging) in Marine Protected Areas would yield net benefits as soon as four years after the ban comes into force. The study highlights that after 13 years of such a ban, […]
21 Dec 2021
Paper Summary: Dave K A Barnes & others: ‘Solving biodiversity loss and climate change are part of the same problem; intact natural habitats can provide powerful and efficient climate mitigation if protected. Beyond the land (forests), there is little appreciation of just how important ocean nature is to climate mitigation. Carbon captured, stored and the […]
21 Dec 2021
Peter Evans in The Conversation ‘Our oceans are under pressure like never before, with over 60% struggling from the increasing impact of fishing, coastal activities and climate change. The harsh truth is that as we move towards 2022 only 3% of oceans are totally free from the pressure of human activity. The greatest impact appears to be […]
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