A new study released which focusses on the scale of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) needed to protect large mobile marine animals. MPAs, particularly large MPAs, are increasing in number and size around the globe in part to facilitate the conservation of marine megafauna under the assumption that large-scale MPAs better align with vagile life histories; […]
The whole-site management of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) can increase the total abundance of reef species within its borders by up to 95%, according to new research. This is in contrast to regions where only known features are conserved, with species abundance increasing by just 15% in those areas compared to others where human […]
The UK government has announced the opening of a consultation on five potential Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in England. As we covered on 21 June 2022, the Guardian leaked the five sites in advance of Defra’s announcement. Defra said in its press release: ‘HPMAs will have the highest levels of protection in our seas. […]
Thursday 14th July will mark the start of a two month-long Festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of the country’s first Marine Protected Area at Lundy. The Lundy Marine Festival is being organised and run by Robert Irving, a marine biological consultant who has been involved with Lundy and the management of its MPA for 40 […]
The Guardian has reported that it has been given consultation details about the next generation of marine nature reserves in England. The Guardian report states: ‘Five highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) could be created by the government to ban all fishing and rewild the sea, the Guardian has learned. The new generation of marine nature […]
Four Marine Management Organisation (MMO) byelaws come into force to protect four offshore marine protected areas. These are being introduced under new powers under the Fisheries Act, the first major fisheries legislation in almost 40 years. These new measures will prohibit fishing activities in MPAs where there is evidence that they harm wildlife or damage […]
Legislation covering marine protected areas (MPAs) is “almost complete” and will set an ambition for 30% of Irish waters to be designated, Heritage Minister Malcolm Noonan has said. Mr Noonan was speaking after a report from a broad coalition of Irish environmental groups found that a mere 2.1% were MPAs, compared to 10% on average in the […]
Many important ocean regions off the coasts of the mainland United States are significantly unprotected, according to a new analysis of marine protected areas. The study finds that large portions of the coast have only 5% or less of its area conserved and a vast majority of the Mid-Atlantic coast unprotected. For the study, researchers […]