OCEAN CONSERVATION MUST MOVE FROM AMBITION TO ACTION, GLOBAL EXPERT WARNS

OCEAN CONSERVATION MUST MOVE FROM AMBITION TO ACTION, GLOBAL EXPERT WARNS

Taoiseach addresses Fair Seas World Ocean Week Conference in Cork

A global leader in ocean conservation says the world’s ocean can no longer be protected through fragmented approaches or isolated national efforts. 

Minna Epps, Global Ocean Policy Director at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is the keynote speaker at today’s (Wednesday, June 3rd) Fair Seas World Ocean Week Conference in Cork, where Taoiseach Micheál Martin is addressing delegates. Minna Epps is calling for coordinated action to protect the world’s oceans amid accelerating climate and biodiversity challenges. 

Fair Seas is a coalition of leading environmental non-governmental organisations and networks. The campaign group’s membership includes Irish Wildlife Trust, BirdWatch Ireland, Sustainable Water Network, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Streamscapes, Irish Environmental Network and Coastwatch.

The event at Cork City Hall brings together international experts, ocean advocates, fishing and coastal communities, government, industry and key stakeholders to discuss how we protect and manage our ocean into the future. Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Fisheries and the Marine, Timmy Dooley, TD, whose department is working on introducing new Marine Protected Area legislation, is also addressing the conference this morning.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin says, “As an island nation, our connection to the sea shapes our communities and our identity. We’re firmly committed to protecting Ireland’s marine environment. Government is continuing to work to deliver an effective and legally robust framework for Marine Protected Areas alongside broader marine planning measures. The Fair Seas conference provides an important opportunity to bring together international expertise, scientific leadership and community voices to help drive meaningful progress on ocean conservation.”

Minna Epps says the ocean is one interconnected system, “Pollution, biodiversity loss, overfishing and climate impacts cross borders through ocean currents, ecosystems and economies alike. That is why ocean protection cannot be approached in isolation or through fragmented action. The real test for protecting the global ocean is no longer ambition — it is delivery. A healthy ocean is essential for climate stability, food security and economic resilience, it’s our life support system. The urgency today is not only about protecting individual places, but about safeguarding the connectivity that allows the ocean to regulate our climate, sustain livelihoods and support life on Earth. We have the knowledge and the tools; what we need now is coordinated political will and implementation at the scale the ocean demands. What gives me hope is the growing leadership from coastal and island nations, including Ireland, that are helping turn international commitments into meaningful action.”

Ireland has committed to protecting 30% of its seas by 2030, however, less than 10% of Irish waters are currently designated as protected. The first draft of the long-awaited proposed legislation to give a legal basis for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is expected to be published this summer. MPAs are areas of our seas and coasts designed to legally protect and restore habitats, species and ecosystems.

Dr Dónal Griffin, Fair Seas Campaign Coordinator says, “Today’s event is about bringing everyone together to discuss one of the biggest environmental challenges facing Ireland today, the declining health of our seas. This conversation has never been more important. Ireland has the opportunity to become a global leader in ocean protection but that leadership must be matched by decisive action and implementation. MPA legislation is urgently needed to provide the legal framework, governance and accountability required to safeguard marine biodiversity, support sustainable coastal communities and build resilience against climate change.”

The Fair Seas World Ocean Week Conference will hear from Irish ornithologist, wildlife sound recordist, author and environmental activist Seán Ronayne; Belinda Bramley, Co-founder Director of the Protected Areas Foundation; and Dr Micheál Ó Cinnéide, Director of the Irish Ocean Literacy Network.

Other speakers and panelists include John Lynch Chief Executive Officer of the Irish South and East Fish Producers Organisation; Grace Carr Marine Advocacy Officer, Irish Wildlife Trust; Karin Dubsky Founder & Director of Coastwatch Ireland; Patricia Comiskey Development Director, Tonn Nua offshore wind project, ESB; Máire Ní Einniú Head of Nua Mara; and Brendan Curtin, Founder of AquaTerra Boat Tours.

John Lynch added, “A healthy future for fishing communities is one where the next generation can go into the industry and can make a reasonable living. For that to happen, we need to have healthy seas and resilient fish stocks. Families and entire communities rely on this industry and if we lose it we have nothing to replace it. We want to see Marine Protected Areas developed collaboratively with the industry. We all need to work together to protect our food security and ensure our oceans benefit everyone.”