Photo by Tania la Vaullee

The Government of Jersey has significantly expanded its Marine Protected Area (MPA) network, increasing the proportion of territorial waters protected from dredging and trawling from 6.5% to 21.7%, The Fishing Daily reported. The new rules, which took effect on 1 September, mean the area of sea protected from trawling and dredging has more than tripled, covering sensitive shallow reefs and OSPAR-listed habitats including maerl beds, seagrass meadows and kelp.

Environment Minister Mary Le Hegerat said Jersey’s seas were “one of the island’s greatest natural assets” and needed continuous protection. “These measures are evidence-led, have been developed through extensive consultation and form an important part of our long-term vision for the management of Jersey’s marine environment,” she said.

Why maerl matters

Freddie Watson, of the Blue Marine Foundation, said the newly protected areas had been chosen because they contained “very sensitive and important habitats” for maerl, seagrass and kelp. “They’re very sensitive so we have to do everything we can to protect them for the long run,” he explained. Watson said maerl, a calcified seaweed that forms pink, coral-like structures on the seabed, was especially valuable, hosting “probably the highest amount of biodiversity in our waters.” He added: “At one point, about 200 species have been recorded in a small area, so it’s great for generating biodiversity and improving recruitment of certain species such as scallops and lobsters. It also plays that role in storing and locking down carbon.”

Fishers feel the squeeze

Not everyone shares the optimism. Stephen Viney, chair of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, described the expansion as a “slow car crash coming” for many in the industry, and said the protections had gone too far. “We’re losing some of the most productive grounds that we fish. We are in a situation now where the fishing industry is struggling. It probably couldn’t have come at a worse time, to be honest,” he told the BBC. “We’ve known it’s been coming, but it would have been nice to have something else to fill the gap.” He pointed out that the grounds now closed off “have been fished for hundreds of years and they’re still producing good catches.”

Some relief came from elsewhere: the approval of five additional bluefin tuna licences has, in Viney’s words, “brought a bit of hope” to an otherwise difficult year, though he cautioned the fishery is only seasonal and will not make up for the grounds lost. The licences form part of commercial and scientific trials using 26 tonnes of the UK’s 2026 bluefin tuna quota across Wales, Jersey and Scotland, intended to improve understanding of the species’ behaviour, ecology and distribution around UK and Channel Islands waters. Le Hegerat welcomed the allocation, saying it “reflects the growing presence of bluefin tuna in our waters” and would “help ensure Jersey can benefit from future opportunities in this developing fishery.”

A managed transition

Kevin McIlwee, founder of Jersey Marine Conservation, said the protections were evidence-based and designed to prevent damage to habitats including maerl beds. He acknowledged that fishers were being “squeezed into smaller areas,” but argued it was now down to government to address the “management of how many vessels there are, how often they’re fishing and what particular species they’re targeting.”

Francis Binney, the government’s head of marine resources, said a healthy marine environment and a successful fishing industry “go hand in hand,” adding: “Protecting important habitats today helps ensure Jersey’s waters remain productive and biologically rich in the future. At the same time, we recognise the challenges facing the fishing industry and are committed to working with fishers to build a resilient and economically sustainable sector.” He was clear that the two goals were not in tension: “This is not about choosing between conservation and fishing – it is about ensuring that Jersey continues to have both healthy seas and a successful fishing industry for decades to come.”

The government has said it will continue monitoring the impact of the new rules and work with the industry on adapting to the revised fishing areas.