Business Eco
Cautious welcome for draft Marine Bill
CONSERVATIONISTS have given a
cautious welcome to the long-awaited
publication by the Government of a
draft Marine Bill.
Wildlife groups had spent many
months calling on ministers to publish
the details of the legislation, amid concerns
about damage being done to
areas, including the North Sea, by commercial
activities.
Now the draft has been unveiled by
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn
and includes a proposed network of
marine conservation zones to be introduced
where habitats are deemed to be
under threat.
No locations have been identified,
but where established, the zones would
restrict fishing, dredging and other
forms of development.
The Government says there will be a
UK-wide marine planning system, to
ensure a better balance between development
and wildlife, and improved
management of marine and inland
fisheries
A marine management organisation
will be created to regulate development
and activity at sea and enforce
environmental protection laws.
Mr Benn said: "Our seas are already
showing the effects of climate change
and, with increasing use of the sea by
many competing interests, we must
make sure that the marine environment
can cope with changing conditions.
"We have a duty to look after our seas
for future generations. Our proposals
will raise protection and management
of our seas to a new level, halting the
decline in biodiversity to create clean,
healthy, safe, productive and biologically
diverse oceans and seas."
Jonathan Shaw, Marine and Fisheries
Minister, said: "The draft Marine
Bill is a major step forward in marine
protection and planning.
"It will benefit all who make a living
from the sea by helping to get the most
we can from it in a sustainable way
while protecting precious resources."
Jim Cokill, director of Durham
Wildlife Trust, said: "We welcome any
measures that help preserve the marine
environment and we welcome any
positive measures made by the Government,
but there is so much that
needs doing."
Stephanie Hilborne, chief executive
of The Wildlife Trusts, said: "The
Wildlife Trusts have campaigned
for many years for new laws to bring
marine conservation into the 21st
Century and we are delighted that the
Government has published a draft
Bill."
9:49am Tuesday 22nd April 2008
Print 
Email this
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
