Noonan welcomes progress on Marine Protected Areas legislation

The Green Party has today given a cautious welcome of approval by Government of a General Scheme for Marine Protected Areas (MPA) legislation to be included in the Maritime Area Planning Act.

In welcoming the decision by Government, Green Party spokesperson for Nature, Heritage, Agriculture, and the Marine; Senator Malcolm Noonan said that while he welcomed Government approval of the General Scheme, it remains to be seen if this is the best mechanism for delivery of a coherent network of MPAs around Irish waters and if all elements of the standalone MPA Bill are included.

‘Certainly I welcome much needed progress on this long delayed legislation. We ran into significant challenges with the standalone Bill in the last Government but it was essentially a really good piece of legislation that had designed in ongoing public participation in how MPAs are managed and developed. I do welcome Government commitment on inclusion of this approach but like all who care about our ocean biodiversity, I hope that it delivers on what is urgently needed to get to our 30% target by 2030’ said Senator Noonan.

‘We made considerable progress in Government in getting close to 10% strict protection for seabirds through two massive SPAs (Special Protected Areas), mapping marine biodiversity and landing the MPA LIFE Project to support coastal communities in conservation and restoration. This piece of legislation is however, the missing piece of the jigsaw and it is now vital that Government moves with urgency to bring the bill to the Houses of the Oireachtas so that we can get on with the task of conservation and restoration’.

‘Our oceans are facing multiple challenges from industrial development in the seas, over-fishing, pollution, acidification and warming waters. Yet, restoring and protecting marine biodiversity offers so many co-benefits from locking up carbon to food security. It is vital that we get this legislation right but importantly too, that Government puts the resources in place to ensure that our MPA network is coherent and representative of the amazing array of species and habitats that makes our oceans so vital to life on earth’ concluded Senator Noonan.