Campaign for England’s First Ocean Sanctuary
Ocean sanctuaries do exist in quite a few places worldwide, including Lamlash Bay in Scotland (it took years of campaigning, yet still England has none). An ocean sanctuary is basically a ‘no-take zone’ where fish and other marine creatures are free from harm (fishing nets, by-catch etc).
Obviously tides mean rubbish and pollution can travel. But no-one is allowed to disturb any creature within that zone, helping to restore natural ecosystems.
Inspired by a similar project in New Zealand, the Scottish ocean sanctuary is home to one of the largest maerl beds in Scotland, with coralline pink seaweed forming a maze for small species to find food and hide from predators. Today no fish or shellfish can be taken from its waters or seabed.
Thank God for EarthJustice, which has just won a legal case, after President Trump tried to roll back a protected ocean sanctuary in Hawaii, and restore commercial fishing for money. This area of 490,000 square miles of ocean contains coral reefs and seven wildlife refuges.
The rule of law prohibits the Trump administration from stripping the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument of established protections, including the ban on fishing. These lands and waters belong to all Americans, and we will not let this administration hand them over to private industry.
The Benefits of Ocean Sanctuaries
It’s not just about stopping over-fishing and by-catch. Shrimp farming can destroy an ocean bed in one swoop. Anchors from fishing boats can harm seagrass meadows, which are home to endangered sea turtles and seahorses.
And coral reefs (which provide food and shelter for many creatures) are also safe from harm.
England’s coasts are very biodiverse, and could really do with some ocean sanctuaries, to leave such areas undisturbed. This would seals, dolphins and porpoises, and also protect harmless basking sharks and ancient kelp forests.
Lundy Marine Conservation Zone
Although not exactly the same as an ocean sanctuary, England does have a few marine conservation zones. One is Lundy Island (just off Devon’s coast). Once it was over-fished, but now teems with grey seals, wild lobsters (who are not caught and boiled in pots) and colourful anemones.
The clear waters have brought wild puffins back. And the island makes its money from ecotourism.
Read more about England’s other marine protection zones (good news!)
At present, just 1% of the world’s oceans are protected sanctuaries. Campaigners want this to be 40%
Orcas Tell Off Returning Fishing Boats!
During the pandemic, one sea in the Mediterranean went quiet. After lockdown ended, nobody knew why local orcas (killer whales) were ramming and sinking the boats.
But some marine biologists believed they were annoyed that the fishing had come back. After a year or two of quiet and having their seas restocked with food.
