Wildlife Trusts Celebrate the Marine Act!

It’s almost ten years since The Wildlife Trusts first pointed out that the seas around the UK, containing half our wildlife, were in dire trouble. Now, as a result of their combined effort (staff, members and volunteers) they have- after over ten years of campaigning- secured a Marine and Coastal Access Act! During November, the Bill (which spent an incredible 6 months in the House of Lords – the second longest Bill in history!) received royal ascent and became an Act! So how did they get here?

• 1999 Devon Wildlife Trust reaches an agreement with local scallop fishermen not to damage sensitive reefs
• 2000 The Wildlife Trusts first call for new marine legislation
• Jan 2002 500 common dolphins, drowned in high-speed seabass trawling nets, wash up on the beaches of England and North West France
• 2002 The Wildlife Trusts publish two reports showing the threats to UK marine ecosystems and how science-based planning could avoid them
• 2003 A record 100 basking sharks seen, but 265 dolphins found dead off the south west. Scientists estimate 67,500 have died as fishing by catch in 15 years
• 2004 Mass breeding failures by UK seabirds. Wildlife-rich reefs in Ulster’s Strangford Lough wiped out by dredge trawlers
• 2005 Government commits to new marine legislation. Lyme Bay fishing agreement breaks down, exposing wildlife-rich reefs to total destruction. Seabirds suffer second year of breeding failure
• 2007 Government publishes Marine Bill white paper. The Wildlife Trusts deliver more than 170,000 ‘petition fish’ signatures to Downing Street in support of the Bill
• 2008 Only 18 bottlenose dolphins remain off Cornwall. Government bans scallop dredging in Lyme Bay. UK Marine and Coastal Access Bill enters Parliament  
• May 2009 The Wildlife Trusts (along with WWF, RSPB and The Marine Conservation Society) participated in a lobby in Westminster to secure amendments within the Bill
• November 2009 UK Marine Bill becomes an Act!

The future of our marine life?

Now, the journey really begins. The Wildlife Trusts have in place the necessary legislation to allow the creation of an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas. This network will be implemented through four regional Marine Conservation Zone projects – the North Sea project is called Net Gain. The job of The Wildlife Trusts  is to ensure the MPA network is established with wildlife at the heart, protecting not only the rare and threatened but a range of marine species and habitats. Through input into the Net Gain project they will provide information and data supporting the establishment of Marine Conservation Zones. However, The Wildlife Trusts  cannot do this alone. They need your help to achieve our vision of Living Seas, ones in which wildlife thrives from the depths of the ocean to the coastal shallows, where wildlife recovers from past declines and adapts to climate change and where people feel inspired by marine wildlife and the value the sea has on their quality of life. Help them do this and join them on the journey towards Living Seas by:

• Getting outside and exploring your marine environment, visiting a local coastal nature reserve.
• Telling others what’s out there, helping them promote the marine environment
• Sending your local Wildlife Trust underwater photographs, videos or your stories of the sea
• Or by attending events or helping volunteers to collect valuable information that will highlight areas of marine life in need of protection.

For more information or to download TWT Living Seas vision, a map of coastal nature reserves or factsheets on Marine Protected Areas visit www.northseawildlife.org.uk

The Yorkshire, Northumberland and Scottish Wildlife Trusts all receive regular support from the People’s Postcode Lottery. Find our more at www.postcodelottery.co.uk