On the day the Government publishes a draft Marine Bill, scores of British divers led by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) will march on Westminster to demand that the Marine Bill establishes a network of marine reserves to protect marine wildlife. The marchers, clad in diving gear will start at noon, arriving at Parliament at 1pm to hand over a 100,000-signature strong public petition, urging Government to set up the network of highly protected marine reserves.
Marcus Allen, chairman of BSAC, will lead the march on behalf of BSAC and said: “Divers see first hand how the environment is changing and how protection really can make a difference. We believe that protecting areas from any exploitation is the most pressing issue the Government must address to safeguard our seas. Every day thousands of British divers enter the sea knowing that there is currently only one tiny marine reserve where marine wildlife is left in a natural state,” continued BSAC chairman, Marcus Allen, “This isn’t enough; we are demanding that the government introduce a comprehensive network of sites purely for nature conservation reasons, where nothing is taken, and no damage is done”.
The British Sub Aqua Club, representing over 40,000 divers, has given its full support to the Marine Conservation Society’s call for a network of Highly Protected Marine Reserves, areas of the sea where no fishing or extractive industries are permitted. The UK falls far behind international action on this issue with only one tiny area (at Lundy Island – 3.3km2) covering 0.002% of our inshore waters fully protected.
Mrs Sam Fanshawe, Director of the Marine Conservation Society, who will hand over the 100,000 strong petition to Government said: “The call for Marine Reserves Now! has been monumental. Its not just conservationists that see the benefits of setting aside sea areas to allow marine life to recover and thrive, but sea users too know they will reap the benefits of highly protected marine reserves including larger fish, greater diversity and higher biomass. We must also save some areas of the sea for future generations to enjoy rather than just leaving a legacy of over-exploitation, extraction and pollution. We are taking resources from the sea at an unprecedented rate – the Marine Bill and a network of Highly Protected Marine Reserves is our chance – government’s chance - to make sure we leave something of nature’s marine bounty for the future and for its own sake.”
BSAC, MCS and other organisations are concerned that today’s draft of the Bill does not include strong enough powers to set up effective Highly Protected Marine Reserves, where damaging activities are prohibited, rather than just restricted or managed. If government opts for weaker management guidelines that allow damaging activities to continue, then this will simply slow the process of degradation rather than taking real action that will allow our seas to recover and thrive for the future.
As well as generating significant public support, the MCS MARINE RESERVES NOW has also generated political support from Labour Minister Ben Bradshaw, Conservative MP Oliver Letwin, Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik, former deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, and former Environment Minister Elliot Morley, as well as celebrity support from the likes of Graham Norton and BBC Springwatch presenters Bill Oddie and Kate Humble.
