Sustaining the Seas
Irish Sea Pilot report completed
The report: Marine Nature Conservation and Sustainable
Development: the Irish Sea Pilot, is scheduled for publication
in the next few weeks. It makes 64 recommendations aimed at
improving marine nature conservation and contributing to an
ecosystem-based, sustainable planning and management regime for
sea-based activities and developments.The recommendations cover
current marine policy topics such as data management, conservation
objectives, the identification of important features (habitats,
species areas, etc), options for protection, defining regional
seas, a marine landscape classification, legislation, enforcement
and governance of marine nature conservation.
Highlights
The Pilot has shown that data exists to compile a list of
nationally important habitats and species for a regional sea.This
list should now be extended to form a comprehensive UK inventory.
Research to identify important biodiversity areas should be
continued to identify ecologically coherent networks at the
regional sea level.
The marine landscapes classification and ' countryside map' of
the Irish Sea has generated much outside interest as a useful tool
for future planning and management. Proposals to refine the
classification methodology and map the marine landscapes of the
wider North East Atlantic in collaboration with international
partners have been put forward. The option of setting up a single
cross- departmental body to take overall responsibility for marine
strategic planning is attractive. A statutory process for marine
spatial planning and a comprehensive planning framework is
considered necessary to take account of increasing development
pressure. Greater communication and liaison between government
departments with responsibilities for marine regulation and
enforcement are also recommended.
Next steps
The findings from the Irish Sea Pilot are being used to inform
the final report of the Defra Review of Marine Nature
Conservation (RMNC) scheduled for publication in summer 2004.
Both reports will feed into the Government's Marine Stewardship
Programme and should lead to an improved framework of legislation
and governance for marine nature conservation both in the UK and
wider European seas.
A team effort
The Pilot has been a remarkable example of partnership and
collaboration both internally and externally. Besides the direct
involvement of nine JNCC marine staff, five other teams contributed
to the administration, 23 external contractors carried out various
research and around 2,000 Irish Sea stakeholders were consulted on
interim reports.
The Pilot's website is being redesigned to accommodate the
report and all the other outputs from the Pilot.
Contact file:
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