Birdwatch Ireland has said that the legislation on marine protected areas (MPAs) must be “as strong as possible to protect marine environments and our coastal communities”.
As Afloat reported last month, the Government has approved the drafting of the Maritime Area Planning (Marine Protected Areas) (Amendment) Bill 2026.
The move will amend the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 and will provide a legislative basis for the designation and effective management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Irish waters.
It will also provide for a number of other amendments to the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 that will further support the regulatory system and ensure streamlined, effective, and efficient delivery of maritime planning in Ireland, as well as support critical infrastructure, according to Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien.
Birdwatch Ireland, which co-founded the Fair Seas coalition of environmental NGOs and networks, says it will carefully review and assess the proposals and actively engage with Government and stakeholders as the process continues.
“The publication of the Heads of Bill is very welcome. It marks the beginning of a process that we believe can bring about world class MPA legislation In Ireland, legislation that will provide for the establishment of a network of coherent and well managed MPAs in Ireland’s seas,” Fair Seas campaign co-ordinator Dr Donal Griffin said.
“But getting to 30% by 2030, with 10% of that strictly protected will require a lot of work from all stakeholders. Fair Seas looks forward to engaging fully in that process and drawing on the wealth of expertise and experience available in our partner organisations in Ireland and internationally.”
In its latest newsletter, BirdWatch Ireland continues to stress the need for “ample spatial protection for the seabirds who call Ireland home for important life stages”.
“Seabirds remain the most at-risk animal group across our planet’s oceans. They are vulnerable to the accelerating impacts of climate change, reduction and shifts in their food supply, disease, pollution, and of course to human activities in the marine space. Failure to combat these adequately within the design and implementation of maritime planning will not only be to the detriment of our marine and coastal birds, but to the marine environment as a whole,”it says.
