Marine Life & Conservation
UK Government makes international commitments but fails to follow through with ocean promises at home
Hosting an event in Montreal to highlight the value of properly managed Marine Protected Areas at COP15 Ocean Action Day, the Marine Conservation Society, Blue Marine Foundation and Whale and Dolphin Conservation issued a joint call for the UK to pick up the pace on delivery of ocean protection at home.
On the final day of COP15, promising steps were made, with agreement that 30% of sea, in addition to 30% of land, must be fully protected by 2030. This is touted as being the biodiversity equivalent of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The UK Government claims that 38% of our seas around the UK are in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The reality is very different, as most of these sites are little more than lines on a map – with even the most damaging activities, like bottom-trawling, allowed. So far, bans have been implemented for just 4 out of the 40 offshore English MPAs. The UK Government has a long way to go in delivering on a ban on bottom-towed gear in England’s offshore MPAs by the end of 2024.
Anna Gelderd, Head of Strategic Advocacy at the Marine Conservation Society said: “This week, nearly 200 countries committed to protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030. This is an important moment. A rallying cry for global ambition. Now, the global community has eight years to deliver. Focus must turn from quantity to quality – and to delivery at home. Meaningfully managed Marine Protected Areas are one of the most effective tools we have to fix the current nature crisis and reverse biodiversity loss.”
Last week, the Marine Conservation Society released research showing there has been a 98% decrease in bottom-towed fishing in the English Dogger Bank MPA since June this year, when a byelaw to ban this fishing practice was introduced demonstrating the effectiveness of byelaws.
Charles Clover, co-founder and executive director of Blue Marine Foundation said:“The world did not have an agreement to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030 before, but it does now. That is very much to be welcomed. On a global stage there are countries who will be under serious pressure now as the 30% of their waters for some is a standing start. In the UK, it will make sure that 30% protection, which actually conserves species and habitats, is achieved.
“However, this is not a legally binding document. Delivery will rely on countries at the forefront of ocean protection to bring others along with them, highlighting the social and economic benefits of protection – which are considerable – to ultimately carry the day.”
However, it’s not just fishing activity that is hampering the recovery of Marine Protected Areas. Pollution of our seas is playing an increasing role in biodiversity loss. From plastics, to microplastics, raw sewage and ‘forever chemicals’, all building up over time an creating a toxic soup. In 2018, Defra set out to publish a Chemicals Strategy to curb pollution but nearly 5 years on, no strategy has been published.
Ed Goodall, Green Whale manager at Whale and Dolphin Conservation said: “Chemical pollution is devastating marine life in UK waters including the west coast population of orca in Scotland, which is now down to around just eight individuals. At the same time, we know that whales bring climate and biodiversity benefits, so restoring their populations by eliminating threats takes on additional urgency.”
The Marine Conservation Society, Blue Marine Foundation and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation are hoping that momentum from COP15 will encourage the UK Government to act urgently on their promises at home in order to achieve what was signed in Montreal.
Only time will tell if the Government follow through with their promises on MPAs, but with the climate and nature crisis intensifying, it is of paramount importance that the biodiversity of our seas is truly protected.
The Ocean Cleanup, the global non-profit project, has removed a verified all-time total of ten million kilograms (22 million lbs.) of trash from oceans and rivers around the world – approximately the same weight as the Eiffel Tower.
To complete its mission of ridding the oceans of plastic, The Ocean Cleanup uses a dual strategy: cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) to remove the plastic already afloat in the oceans, while stopping the flow of plastic from the world’s most polluting rivers.
Through cleaning operations in the GPGP and in rivers in eight countries, the cumulative total of trash removed has now surpassed ten million kilograms. This milestone demonstrates the acceleration of The Ocean Cleanup’s impact, while underlining the astonishing scale of the plastic pollution problem and the need for continued support and action.
While encouraging for the mission, this milestone is only a staging point: millions more tons of plastic still pollute our oceans and The Ocean Cleanup intends to continue learning, improving and innovating to solve this global catastrophe.
This announcement comes as governments from around the world meet to continue negotiations to develop a new legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution at INC4 in Ottawa, Canada. Representatives of The Ocean Cleanup will be in attendance and the organization will be urging decision-makers to collaborate towards a comprehensive and ambitious global treaty which addresses plastic at all stages of its life cycle and in all marine environments worldwide, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
It is encouraging to see that the need for remediation is reflected in the various options for potential treaty provisions. It is essential that the final treaty contains clear targets for the remediation of legacy plastic pollution, and reduction of riverine plastic emissions.
Tackling plastic pollution requires innovative and impactful solutions. The treaty should therefore incentivize the innovation ecosystem by fostering innovations that make maximal use of data, technology and scientific knowledge – such as those designed and deployed by The Ocean Cleanup.
‘After many tough years of trial and error, it’s amazing to see our work is starting to pay off – and I am proud of the team who has brought us to this point.’ said Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup. ‘While we still have a long way to go, our recent successes fill us with renewed confidence that the oceans can be cleaned.’
The Ocean Cleanup was founded in 2013 and captured its first plastic in 2019, with the first confirmed catch in the GPGP coming soon after the deployment of Interceptor 001 in Jakarta, Indonesia. After surpassing one million kilograms of trash removed in early 2022, the non-profit project has since progressed to the third iteration of its GPGP cleaning solution, known as System 03, and a network of Interceptors currently covering rivers in eight countries, with more deployments set for 2024.
About The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is an international non-profit organization that develops and scales technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. They aim to achieve this goal through a dual strategy: stemming the inflow via rivers and cleaning up the legacy plastic that has already accumulated in the ocean. For the latter, The Ocean Cleanup develops large-scale systems to efficiently concentrate the plastic for periodic removal. This plastic is tracked and traced through DNV’s chain of custody model to certify claims of origin when recycling it into new products. To curb the tide via rivers, The Ocean Cleanup has developed Interceptor™ solutions to halt and extract riverine plastic before it reaches the ocean. Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup now employs a broadly multi-disciplined team of approximately 140. The foundation is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
For more information, visit: theoceancleanup.com and follow @theoceancleanup on social media.
Marine Life & Conservation
Steve Backshall to headline Shark Trust’s flagship event: For the Love of Sharks
Join a host of amazing, shark loving, speakers including Steve Backshall and the Shark Trust team for an evening celebrating shark conservation at the Royal Geographical Society in London this November.
Date: 29th November 2024
Time: 6-10pm
Location: Royal Geographical Society, London
Tickets: https://www.sharktrust.org/Event/flos24
The event will be a celebration of all things shark. Those lucky enough to get hold of tickets will hear from engaging guest speakers with a passion for sharks.
The line-up includes (*subject to change if unforeseen circumstances arise)
Steve Backshall: One of television’s busiest presenters, BAFTA award-winning wildlife expert Steve has been passionate about the wild world ever since he was young.
Steve’s impressive TV career has taken him all around the world, investigating a wide array of species and environments. Steve has filmed over 100 hours of children’s wildlife programmes with the BAFTA award winning Deadly 60 franchise and recently, with Sky Nature, for his new series ‘Whale with Steve Backshall’. He has been a patron for the Shark Trust for 10 years.
Simon Rogerson: is a photojournalist specialising in natural history, diving and the sea.
He is editor of SCUBA magazine, the official journal of the British Sub-Aqua Club. Simon started his career as a crime reporter but gravitated towards his ‘less depressing’ interest in underwater exploration, joining the staff of DIVE magazine in 1999. In 2005 he was named ‘Editor of the Year’ in the PPA’s Independent Publishing Awards. Simon also works as a freelance writer, contributing frequently to the Sunday Times and Telegraph, in addition to BBC Wildlife, Esquire, and a host of international diving magazines. He is the author of a book, Dive Red Sea, published by Ultimate Sports. Now based in Berkshire, Simon has been a Patron of the Shark Trust for 20 years.
More speakers to be announced soon. Head to the Shark Trust website to learn more.
The evening will also allow guests the final chance to see the Oceanic 31, shark art exhibition. Some of the artwork will be auctioned/raffled at the event, while the rest will be auctioned online to raise money for the Shark Trust Oceanic Programme.
For the Love of Sharks is an evening with something for everyone who is interested and fascinated by sharks. Join the Shark Trust, their Patrons, Trustees and Staff, along with a host of supporters for this celebration of shark conservation.
For more information or to buy a ticket: https://www.sharktrust.org/Event/flos24
-
News3 months agoCapturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs3 months agoCreature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months agoMurex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Gear Reviews3 weeks agoGEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit
-
Blogs2 months agoDiver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Gear Reviews3 months agoGear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
News2 months agoPADI Teams Up with Wellness Brand Neuro to Drive Ocean Change and Create a Blue State of Mind
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months agoSave the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida