action alert:
marine bill
8th June 2008 is World Oceans Day, and we need your help more than ever to influence the UK Government's Marine Bill for better protection of our seas - this may be your last chance to make your voice heard. Please act today and click here to sign the e-letter we have prepared, sending a clear message that the present Draft Marine Bill needs to be made much stronger to protect sea life.
See also: MCS Marine Reserves video and vote for marine reserves at http://www.marinereservesnow.org.uk/
A Marine Bill is urgently needed to introduce new laws to better protect our marine wildlife and habitats and ensure the sustainable management of our seas and resources. MCS, together with other national NGOs has campaigned for over six years for new marine laws - and at last the Government has responded. Since most matters within 12 nautical miles of Scotland's coast are controlled by the Scottish Government, MCS Scotland has also successfully helped campaign for a Scottish Marine Bill to address devolved matters.
The UK's coastal and marine environments are some of the most beautiful in the world, supporting an astonishing diversity of habitats and species, as well as providing vital resources for economic development, food and recreation. However, coastal habitats are under increasing pressure from development, tourism and climate change, whilst further offshore, marine habitats and species are threatened by activities associated with fisheries, aggregate extraction and offshore energy developments.
A new Marine Bill provides what could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to provide the protection that our nationally important marine sites and marine species and habitats urgently need, whilst also establishing a co-ordinated and strategic system for planning and managing the many industries and activities that impact on and compete for use of the marine environment.
What should be in the Marine Bill?
MCS is calling for a Marine Bill which:
- establishes a network of nationally important marine protected areas including highly protected marine reserves where all damaging extractive activities are prohibited
- strengthens laws to protect threatened, rare and vulnerable species and habitats from harmful activities such as noise pollution and reckless disturbance
- introduces a marine spatial planning system which plans how and where we use and exploit the sea including fishing, oil and gas exploration, offshore wind development, shipping and coastal development, to avoid conflicts between different users and prevent damage to marine biodiversity
- reforms the laws governing inshore fisheries to provide a viable and sustainable future for fish stocks and fishermen.
There are many differing stakeholders that will seek to influence the shape of the Bill, so MCS and our supporters have a vital role to play to ensure that the Bill reverses years of neglect and that protection of wildlife, habitats and the marine ecosystem as a whole is a core purpose of the Bill.
latest developments:
- 14th May 2008: MCS welcomes the announcement by Gordon Brown that the "Marine Bill" is included in the Government’s Draft Legislative Programme (DLP)for 2008/2009, and therefore has been allocated a slot in Parliament for the next session - but is concerned that the measures proposed are not strong enough to actually deliver a network of Marine Conservation Zones. Read the full statement from MCS.
plus See Gordon Brown's reply to a Marine Bill in 2008 by clicking here. - April 3rd 2008 - MCS supporters and BSAC divers march on Houses of Parliament calling for Marine Reserves Now!
- April 3rd 2008 - Draft Marine Bill is published.
- 6th November 2007, The Queen's Speech does not mention the Marine Bill much to MCS and other NGOs disappointment. However, the small print does provide a commitment to produce a draft Marine Bill in 2008.
17th October 2007, children representing MCS, RSPB, WWF and The Wildlife Trusts delivered over 300,000 signatures to no. 10 Downing Street calling on Gordon Brown to deliver a Marine Bill Now. The NGOs also published a shocking half page advert in the four main quality broadsheets. - 13th July 2007, Jonathan Shaw Minister with responsibility for the Marine Bill, stated that a Draft Marine Bill will be published "early next year" on Radio 4 Farming Today, following an MCS press release.
- 10th July 2007, The draft legislative programme for the next Parliamentary session was outlined by Gordon Brown and does not include the Marine Bill. MCS responded with a press release.
- 2nd July 2007, MCS sent a copy of "Sea Change" (Richard Girling, Eden Project books) to new Prime Minister Gordon Brown, drawing his attention to the Marine Bill's importance.
- MCS submitted its Response to the Marine Bill White Paper before the deadline of June 8th.
- In March 2007, the Government published the Marine Bill White Paper.
- In March 2006, the Government published the first consultation document on its proposals for the scope and content of the Marine Bill. This consultation provided an opportunity to have a say in how our seas are managed and protected. Download the MCS response, sent to Defra in June 2006.
- Over 100 MCS supporters wrote to Defra detailing what they would like to see in the marine bill. Read Ben Bradshaw, Minister for the Marine Environment's response to MCS supporters (July 2006).
- MCS together with many other UK NGOs successfully lobbied Government and secured commitment to introduce a Marine Bill in the 2005 manifestos of all the major parties.
- On March 9th 2005, MCS staff and supporters together with over 300 others lobbied Parliament and spoke directly to over 100 MPs urging them to support the introduction of a Marine Bill.
- On June 8th, World Oceans Day 2005 MCS and other NGOs delivered a massive 165,000 pledges of support for a Marine Bill to Tony Blair at No 10 Downing Street.
