Ireland’s marine protected areas (MPAs) must increase 18-fold by end of decade to restore critical habitats, safeguard wildlife and address the climate crisis, according to a report commissioned by a coalition of leading environmental NGOs and networks.
The Government must designate a minimum of 30 per cent of Irish waters as MPAs by 2030, up from the current “wholly inadequate” figure of 2 per cent, the report by the Fair Seas Campaign (FSC), being published on Wednesday, warns.
Recent assessments of Irish coastal habitats confirm two-thirds are in an unfavourable condition, with an alarming decline of 90 per cent in numbers of iconic species such as porbeagle and angel sharks noted.
MPAs are areas of seas and coasts legally protected from activities that damage habitats, wildlife and natural processes. In 2019, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage initiated a process aimed at expanding Ireland’s MPA network over the next decade. FSC commissioned their report to help accelerate the process.
It would be possible to protect 36 per cent of Ireland’s ocean territory, enabling the country to meet its 2030 European targets, it concludes. “This would help to protect, conserve and restore vulnerable and important species and habitats, as well as ensuring that these habitats can act as huge natural carbon stores.”
It identifies 16 “areas of interest” for MPA designation in Irish waters including eight coastal areas stretching along the coast from Donegal to Louth. “These places are home to critically endangered sharks, globally important seabird colonies, and animals threatened with extinction which rely on these areas for breeding and feeding such as Atlantic puffins and blue whales” it adds.
FSC spokeswoman Aoife O’Mahony said their report was about kick-starting the conversation among stakeholders and decision-makers. “It aims to significantly ramp up the process of building an effective network of MPAs in Irish waters which would enable Ireland to meet its 2030 commitments with the best possible outcomes for nature, climate and people.”
She added: “We’ve used scientific research and available data to identify the potential areas most in need of protection. Our ambition is to see Ireland become a world leader in marine protection, giving our species, habitats and coastal communities the opportunity to thrive.”
Head of advocacy at BirdWatch Ireland (BWI) Oonagh Duggan said Ireland continued to be a laggard when it comes to protecting and restoring nature on land and sea.
“We have been endowed with a wealth of marine life but are squandering it. Our extensive coastline supports hundreds and thousands of breeding seabirds but species like the Puffin and Kittiwake are now globally vulnerable. Irish Kittiwake populations declined by 32 per cent between 2002 and 2018.
“While seabirds have some protection on land where they breed, there’s no protection for them at sea where they forage for food. Ireland’s sea territory is huge, it’s high time to protect and restore large areas for these and other marine life,” she added.
If properly planned, MPAs could lead to more stable and sustainable coastal fisheries, with added benefits of increased tourism and public enjoyment of marine life, said professor in marine ecology at Nord University in Norway Mark John Costello, who wrote the foreword to the report.
“While a majority of the public in Ireland support the need to have MPAs in principle, there will be objections to exactly where they are located, their boundaries and rules. That is why discussions with local communities need to start as soon as possible, with political support to implement what is best for Ireland in the long term,” he said.
FSC includes the Irish Wildlife Trust; BWI, Sustainable Water Network, Friends of the Irish Environment, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Coomhola Salmon Trust, Irish Environmental Network and Coastwatch – its report is available at fairseas.ie
