MCS’s Biodiversity Policy Officer, Jean-Luc Solandt, was invited to visit Sark during June – the smallest of the Channel Islands, to discuss the MCS Your Seas Your Voice proposals for three marine reserves in the island waters - meaning no fishing could be done in these zones.
The Marine Conservation Society says that Sark's waters are already very well managed, but that no take zones would increase the number and variety of marine species in the sea off the island leading to an increase in numbers and vareity of marine species.
The three sites are L'Etacs to the south, Guillaumesse off the west coast and the Guilliot Caves.
Jean-Luc was invited to the island by local natural historians and the sea fisheries committee so he could meet with officials and fishermen.
Jean- Luc says the island is a fascinating place: "Sark is the only Channel Island that prohibits motor cars, with its 600 inhabitants getting around the 5.5 square mile island by horse and cart, walking, cycling or boating. The island has no airport, so I got there by ferry from Guernsey. Sark has control of its own waters out to 3 nm, which are only fished by pot and line, with occasional winter gill-netting principally for red mullet and bass."
JL talks to Sark pupils There are no cars on Sark
"Our trip included a talk to the Societe Sercquaise (http://www.socsercq.sark.gg/index.html) about our work on marine reserves. We spoke to 40 pupils at the local school and spent the day with one of the three full-time lobster and crab pot fishing boats. We finished with a talk to the sea fisheries committee."
The MCS visit was widely reported both in the radio (BBC Jersey) and regional TV (ChannelTV and BBC Guernsey). MCS say talks with the fishermen were promising and there is potential to re-visit the island in future, to report back on the MPA process in England, and emerging MPAs in France.
The Guillaumesse proposed site Sark Fishers retrieve their pots
