Here’s a prediction: the next UK government will do great
things for global marine protection.
At this stage in a general election campaign it’s sometimes
hard to find something that politicians wearing differently coloured rosettes
can agree on, but with an unprecedented bunch of manifesto commitments, there’s
a growing certainty that the next UK government will be an ocean champion.
Today the Labour Party releases its fleshed out Green Plan,
and with that gives some detail of what it will prioritise in UK seas, both
those around our own shores, and those surrounding far away UK overseas
territories in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Labour’s pledge means we've now had commitments from four of the main UK-wide parties (Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem &
Green)* with some big visionary ideas about establishing globally-significant
protected areas. This will give respite for some of the world’s most iconic
and threatened species, and see the UK playing a big role in global marine
conservation.
So you don’t have to trawl through them, I’ve made a quick
summary of what each manifesto says about oceans.
Conservatives
‘We will create a ‘Blue
Belt’ to protect precious marine habitats’.
The Conservative manifesto pledges to create a ‘blue belt’ of
protected areas around the UK’s 14 overseas territories. Specifically they
pledge to create a marine reserve around Pitcairn (which already has the
support of Pitcairn islanders) & Ascension Island, in conjunction with
those living on the island.
Labour
‘The next Labour Government will ensure that the UK becomes a global
leader in marine protection’.
Labour’s
Green Plan commits to creating a full marine protected area around the Pitcairn
Islands; progress protection around Ascension, South Georgia & South Sandwich
Islands; and consider the marine conservation potential of other UK overseas
territories.
Liberal Democrats
‘..create a one million square kilometre southern
Atlantic Ocean reserve’.
The Liberal Democrats manifesto pledges to create a massive
marine protected area in the Southern Atlantic, by extending protection of some
of the UK’s oversea territories. They also pledge to increase UK efforts to
protect the Arctic Ocean, by pushing for its protection and preventing the
expansion of industrial fishing.
Greens
‘… ensure that
conservation of the environment of the Overseas Territories, including their
marine areas, is funded to a level equal to their global significance.’
The Greens’ manifesto also pledges to create a South Atlantic
marine reserve, as well as push for protection of the Arctic. On overseas
territories the Greens want to prioritise conservation generally and expand the
coverage of treaties designed to protect biodiversity and endangered species.
On top of that, all four of these parties pledged to finish
the job on domestic ‘Marine Conservation Zones’ by creating more protected
areas around UK shores to ensure an ecologically coherent network of protected
areas.
This is big news, and good news, for our oceans. And it's thanks jointly to environmental groups, conservationists, scientists, celebrities, political champions and others working together to raise the issue of marine conservation up the political agenda.
I for one much prefer a world where political leaders are
competing about how big their protected areas will be, rather than how big
their arsenals are.
*UKIP’s manifesto made no mention of marine conservation,
except some ‘no take areas’ to protect fish stocks