Thank you to all the GGG readers who signed the Wildlife Trusts ‘petition fish’ which I reported about in the ‘Cycling to save our seas’ post.
On Wednesday 10th October I joined my colleagues from the other 47 Wildlife Trusts in the UK to attend an event at the House of Commons, where we took with us a shoal of over 200 petition fish containing over 150,000 signatures showing support for the implementation of a Marine Bill.
At the event we met with MP’s to gain their support for the Marine Bill and also to launch the Wildlife Trusts new report ‘Marine Reserves – TLC for our seas and sea life’, which explains the urgent action needed to allow UK seas to recover from centuries of over-intensive exploitation, for everything from food to building materials and oil.
The UK’s seas are extraordinarily rich in wildlife, home to more than 44,000 animal and plant species – around 50% of the UK’s biodiversity. However shockingly less than 0.001% of our seas are protected. The Wildlife Trust and other members of the Wildlife & Countryside Link are calling for the Marine Bill to be mentioned in the Queen’s Speech next month. It is extremely important that we lobby the government to ensure that the Marine Bill comes to Parliament during the 2007-8 session. As mentioned in a previous post if the government do not deliver the Marine Act in the time frame needed - then we could lose a variety of marine species and our seas will begin to die. We really do need to provide TLC for our seas and marine life now!
On Wednesday 17th October, the Wildlife Trust and other members of the Wildlife & Countryside Link including the Marine Conservation Society will be taking their collected signatures to 10 Downing Street to demonstrate the level of public support for the Marine Bill. To show your support and demand the Bill then write to your MP and email Gordon Brown. Also if you are a scuba diver then why not join the Marine Conservation Society on their Divers March at Westminster on Wednesday 7th November - for further details contact them.
I will keep you updated about the Marine Bill campaign.
October 15th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
The petition can do nothing as the UK government can do nothing. Fisheries policy is an EU competence, and so doomed to yet more years of wrangling about the CFP. With the CFP quotas always set far to high for sustainable fishing, and also requiring tons of dead fish to be thrown back into the sea after they are caught.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Chris, thank you for your feedback. I agree that the CFP quotas is set too high for sustainable fishing and I think that we will struggle to protect our seas because of this. Finding the happy balance between commercial fishermen who rely on the sea for profit and marine conservation will be a difficult task. Though what is the economic future of fishing if our seas continue to die at this rate? Will the seamen have to find new careers like the miners did, when the pits started to close?
With regards to the petition and the Marine Bill Campaign, it is my understanding that one of the key points that is needed to be achieved is for the UK government to provide the power for specific areas of our British Coastline to be provided with the status of ‘Highly Protected Marine Nature Reserves’ like Lundy has been given (and has started to come back to life). A key site that we want to be designated as a Highly Protected Marine Nature Reserve is Lyme Bay Reefs in Devon which I will be writing about on GGG in the near future.
I am fully aware that we can not protect all of our seas from commercial fishing and dredging, however if we can start to protect specific areas around the UK’s coast then maybe with hard work we should be able to prevent certain marine species from becoming extinct forever.
At school I was taught that due to human activity the dodo became extinct, since then I have been concerned about the growing numbers of species that we could lose. Imagine a planet with just humans and livestock (which obviously people would try and protect for their food interest). I really do not want to see more species becoming extinct, and would hate to explain to future generations that the mass of society felt that there was no point in trying to save wildlife and habitats due to legislation (not saying that you or any other GGG readers think that it is pointless)
As you can probably tell I am very passionate about this subject, however I do really appreciate feedback from GGG readers such as Chris. If I do ever get my facts wrong (which is possible as I am not a qualified conservationist and do not always have the time to research all sides of the story) then feel free to leave feedback and get in contact as blogging should be a two way communication through writer and reader.
Thank you and sorry for the lengthy comment!
October 15th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
You are absolutly right. It is never to late to start changing the way society is currently going. Every single person “likes” to have a nice summer holiday, somehwere NICE - to find your well deserved peace. However the wildlife is also trying to find peace from “us” and it is running short in space and numbers. Our marinlife is a water filter that provides the balance to eco system. We have to do everything to protect it, as you will be protecting your own familly. Start changing the way we live - from yourself, and DO something TODAY!!! Stop whinging (ref. to Chris) and do not expect some miracle from goverment or others and see what YOU can do instead and the RESULTS of your hard work will be “green”. See what one person can DO
October 17th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Marine Bill Update!!
Today the Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, Marine Conservation Society and WWF took over 300,000 signatures to Dowing Street to show the publics support for the Marine Bill.
The petition has attracted widespread support, including a pledge from Kate Humble, the RSPB’s newest vice president and a big fan of the marine environment. Kate said:
“As a diver I know what an amazing wealth of wildlife we have in the seas around the UK. But, I’m also aware of the pressures the marine environment is under. That’s why I’m supporting the call for a Marine Bill now to introduce marine reserves to give our wonderful sealife the protection it deserves.”
I will keep you posted about the Marine Bill.
Thanks