A coalition of Ireland’s leading environmental non-governmental organisations and networks has signed up to a charter pledging to take concrete actions to protect our ocean and waters - one of the first 100 communities in Europe to do so.

Fair Seas has signed the European Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” which brings together member states, regions and a wide range of stakeholders with the common goal of making our oceans healthy again.

The European Commission is hosting a three-day hybrid event and conference in Cork this week in cooperation with Ireland Ministries and the National Maritime College of Ireland, Ringaskiddy. It is focusing on the political commitments to implement the Mission and agree measures to protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity as well as boosting coastal resilience.

Aoife O’ Mahony, Campaign Manager for Fair Seas, signed the Mission Charter and also addressed the Community Action session. Fair Seas is urging the Government to designate a minimum of 30% of Irish waters as Marine Protected Areas by 2030, up from the current figure of 2%.

Aoife O’Mahony said, “At Fair Seas, our aim is to protect, conserve and restore Ireland’s remarkable marine environment. We share the same goals as the European Mission and are delighted to become one of the first 100 communities to sign the charter. We want to build a movement of ocean stewardship in Ireland by highlighting the uniqueness and significance of our marine environment.. This new awareness of the wonder of our ocean has already increased awareness of Marine Protected Areas in Ireland, as seen in our recent consumer perception research and helps to build momentum around upcoming legislation. Ireland has a unique opportunity to learn from those who have gone before us and ensure we develop robust and flexible legislation that will protect our ocean for generations to come.”

A recent REDC survey of more than 1,000 people, carried out on behalf of the Fair Seas campaign, shows strong support for additional protections with four out of five people saying they would support a campaign to protect more of our seas.

Dr Peter Heffernan is a member of the European Commission's Mission Board ‘Restore Our Ocean and Waters by 2030’. He said, “The aim of this event is to mobilise a wide range of stakeholders to join the Mission. The Mission is highly ambitious and wants to protect a minimum of 30% of the EU’s sea area. A third of this area, representing 10% of the EU sea, should be strictly protected. These are areas of very high biodiversity and climate value. Ireland has an opportunity to engage in this ambitious mission and involve stakeholders from across the Island to support this restoration and conservation of our ocean and become a leader in Europe.”

The Fair Seas campaign is led by a coalition of Ireland’s leading environmental non-governmental organisations and networks including Irish Wildlife Trust, BirdWatch Ireland, Sustainable Water Network, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Coomhola Salmon Trust, Irish Environmental Network and Coastwatch.

‘Winds of Change at Sea’ is the title of an open public discussion on the future of our seas in Killiney next week.

Hosted by Fair Seas alongside Killiney Bay Community Council and Dalkey Community Council, the event will hear from the environmental coalition’s Regina Classen who will discuss the scientific background around her work on identifying Fair Seas’ suggested candidates for enhanced marine protections.

The group recommends that Ireland’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) must increase from the current 2.1% of coastal and offshore areas to 36%.

Last month it was reported that draft legislation to increase Ireland’s MPAs was “almost completed”. Heritage Malcolm Noonan said the first drafts of the bill “will set an ambition for Ireland to reach 30% MPAs”.

The event will also discuss whether there is any conflict between these MPA proposals and the growth of offshore wind energy projects that are expected to play a significant role in Ireland’s emission reduction plans.

The open event takes place next Wednesday 20 July at Fitzpatrick’s Castle in Killiney from 7.30pm to 9pm. Attendance is free but booking is essential, via the Eventbrite page HERE.

The Fair Seas campaign has welcomed Ireland’s contribution of almost 10 million euro to address ocean challenges faced by developing countries, including small island developing states.

The funding was confirmed earlier this week by Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney on the eve of the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

Ireland is being represented at the conference by Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan.

Solutions for a sustainably managed ocean involving green technology, along with innovative uses of marine resources, are being discussed at the international gathering.

Fair Seas said that access to adequate funding and resources is “essential for small island states to tackle the myriad of ocean threats which impact local biodiversity and communities”.

“This substantial financial investment shows Ireland’s support for conserving ocean biodiversity globally, and Fair Seas look forward to seeing similar investments in marine conservation efforts at national level,” the network’s campaign manager Aoife O’Mahony said.

“The Irish Government has committed to protecting 30% of our ocean by 2030, yet progress towards that target is lacking, while 65% of monitored coastal habitats are in unfavourable condition,” Fair Seas noted.

“Ireland needs to turn the tide on this decline. By accelerating the conversation with stakeholders, local communities and groups on how it will introduce new marine protected areas (MPAs), Ireland will not only help achieve healthy and productive ecosystems locally but will be doing our bit for marine protection and conservation at the European and global level too,” it said.

Fair Seas has been campaigning for a network of MPAs covering at least 30 per cent of Irish waters by 2030.

The campaign is led by a coalition of environmental non-governmental organisations and networks including Irish Wildlife Trust, BirdWatch Ireland, Sustainable Water Network, Friends of the Irish Environment, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Coomhola Salmon Trust, Irish Environmental Network and Coastwatch.

The Fair Seas campaign is funded by Oceans 5, Blue Nature Alliance, BFCT and The Wyss Foundation.

Draft legislation to designate almost a third of Ireland’s waters as marine protected areas (MPAs) is “almost completed”, the Heritage Minister has said.

Minister Malcolm Noonan told the Irish Examiner last week that his department would meet “shortly” with Fair Seas, a coalition of Ireland’s leading environmental NGOs and networks which recommends that MPAs here must increase from the current 2.1% of coastal and offshore areas to 36%.

The minister added that first drafts of the bill to legislate for further protections for marine wildlife and biodiversity “will set an ambition for Ireland to reach 30% MPAs”.

“We know that through our public consultation that there has been overwhelming support for this initiative,” Minister Noonan said. “We’re also saying MPAs don’t exist in isolation — they can exist with fishing communities and with other marine interests.”

The Irish Examiner has more on the story HERE.

A newly formed Irish environmental coalition says it is “demanding” a fifteen-fold increase in Ireland’s marine protected areas (MPAs).

The Fair Seas campaign wants at least 10 per cent of Irish waters to be designated as “fully protected” by 2025, and “at least” 30 per cent by 2030.

“Today Ireland’s MPA coverage is at a mere 2.13% lagging behind even our closest neighbours in Scotland at 37%,” the campaign says.

“Ireland has not met its previous target of 10% protection by 2020,” it says warning that “Fair Seas will hold the government to account so it does not miss its upcoming targets”.

Minke Whale, Photo: Pádraig Whooley, IWDG

“Ireland’s maritime area is seven times the size of our landmass and is home to spectacular wildlife including endangered basking sharks, humpback whales, blue whales, otters, seals, puffins and even deep-sea coral reefs,” the campaign says.

It aims to see Ireland becoming a “world leader in marine protection, giving our species, habitats and coastal communities the opportunity to thrive”.

MPAs, which give legal protection to the conservation of species and habitats, are a “vital tool” in improving ocean health, it says.

Common dolphins Photo: Sibéal Regan, IWDG

The Fair Seas campaign says it will publish its first expert report, underpinned by scientific data, this summer, and this will identify where it believes MPAs should be designated.

Legislation for the designation and management of MPAs is currently being drafted and the Heads of Bill is expected before Government in December 2022.

“In January 2022 Ireland showed its passion for the ocean by speaking out against Russian missile testing,” Fair Seas campaign manager Aoife O’Mahony said.

Puffin Photo: George Karbus

“Voices from the fishing industry, government, environmental groups and the public were all echoing the need to protect our marine biodiversity and commercially important fish stocks. Fair Seas is calling on those same voices to ask the Irish government to follow up and secure a network of effective well-managed MPAs,” she said.

“Fair Seas is a new and inclusive approach to environmental campaigning,” Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) co-ordinator Dr Simon Berrow said.

The IWDG is part of the new coalition, along with the Irish Wildlife Trust, BirdWatch Ireland, Coastwatch, Coomhola Salmon Trust, Friends of the Irish Environment, SWAN and the Irish Environmental Network

Fair Seas says it is funded by Oceans 5, the Becht Family Charitable Trust, Blue Nature Alliance and WyssFoundation.

Humpback Whale and a common dolphin Photo: Daniella Morgernstern, IWDG