AN EXTENDED network of Marine Protected Areas in Jersey’s territorial waters that would ‘form the basis of a marine park’ is to be proposed by the Environment Minister.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf will bring forward a proposition by the end of this year setting out a ‘detailed timetable and methodology’ for establishing the boundaries of the park and how it will be managed.
The network of protected areas is being created as part of a Marine Spatial Plan – similar to the Island Plan but for Jersey’s territorial waters – that will be put out for public consultation after a draft version is published.
Currently only around 6.4% of the Island’s territorial waters are designated with the MPA status, which protects against potentially destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling.
Earlier this year, Freddie Watson, Jersey project manager for the Blue Marine Foundation – which champions ocean conservation around the world – said that the network of MPAs being developed ‘could well form the basis of a marine park’.
A bid to create a marine park covering more than a third of the Island’s waters was brought forward by Deputy Lyndon Farnham last year, but was rejected during the Bridging Island Plan debate.
Jersey also last year joined an international ‘30 by 30’ pledge, to conserve 30 percent of the globe’s terrestrial and marine habitat and protect it from destructive practices by 2030.
Deputy Renouf said: ‘In the course of preparing the draft Marine Spatial Plan, it has become evident that a clear scientific basis exists to expand and add to our network of Marine Protected Areas. This will allow us to create a Marine Park in the Island’s waters, covering around 30% of our territorial waters. This network will form part of Jersey’s delivery of the “30 by 30” initiative agreed at COP15 in December 2022.
‘The proposition, which I plan to lodge in the next few months, will set out the detailed timetable and methodology for establishing the boundaries of the park, and its management. There will be a full consultation with all stakeholders, including with our own fishing fleet, and our neighbours in France and Guernsey.’
