08/06/2005 - An incredible
165,000 pledges of support for new marine
laws will be presented to 10, Downing Streettoday
by leading conservation organisations, demonstrating
the massive level of public support for better
protection for our seas.
Wildlife and Countryside Link, the coalition
of major UK environmental non-governmental
organisations, is delighted that a draft Marine
Bill was included in the Government's recent
legislative programme. This will introduce
a new framework for managing the seas around
the UK. However, strong laws are urgently
needed and the coalition will use today's
event to press the Government to progress
rapidly and thoroughly in drawing up the new
Bill.
The 165,177 pledges of support are being
sent by supporters of the Marine Conservation
Society, Royal Society for the Protection
of Birds, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society,
The Wildlife Trusts, and WWF-UK. Six representatives
from organisations within Wildlife and Countryside
Link will hand over the postcards at Downing
Street at 12.30 PM.
This presentation follows a lobby of Parliament
by members of the same organisations on 9
March, when hundreds of wildlife campaigners
spoke to their MPs about the importance of
a new Marine Bill.
Ben Stafford, Chairman of Link’s Marine Campaign,
said "World Oceans Day is a chance for
everyone to appreciate just how important
the seas and oceans are to our lives. While
the seas around us are threatened by, amongst
other things, pollution and over-fishing,
they are home to an enormous wealth of wildlife,
and still provide us with food, resources
and pleasure. But without effective planning
and management, combined with increased protection,
our marine resources and wildlife will continue
to suffer".
Ben Stafford continued: "The presentation
of so many pledges of support for marine legislation
at Downing Street today shows that the public
see a Marine Bill as a real priority. LINK
believes that the new legislation will be
good for industry as well as the environment.
The Government must now get on and make it
happen."
Editors Notes
The total number of pledges of support (including
signatures on petitions, dedicated pledge
statements and postcards) collected by the
Wildlife and Countryside Link organisations
is 165,177.
[1] World Oceans Day is the annual celebration
of the seas around us. Since first being held
at the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, World
Oceans Day has been extremely successful in
raising awareness of the World's oceans and
their importance for wildlife and all life
on Earth.
There are four main objectives to World Oceans
Day:
It is a chance to change perspective - encouraging
individuals to think about what the sea means
to them and what it has to offer.
It is a chance to learn - many people do
not realise the wealth of diverse and beautiful
creatures and habitats which are found in
the sea, and how our actions affect them.
It is a chance to alter our ways - people
can be encouraged to become caretakers of
our seas and to conserve them for the future.
It is a chance to celebrate - whether you
live inland or on the coast you can organise
or participate in events focusing upon our
seas.
[2] Wildlife and Countryside Link is a coalition
of the UK’s major environmental non-governmental
organisations. The Link marine campaign is
led by: the Marine Conservation Society; the
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds;
the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society;
The Wildlife Trusts; and WWF-UK, and is supported
by other Link members including: Buglife –
the Invertebrate Conservation Trust; the Council
for British Archaeology; the Herpetological
Conservation Trust; the Shark Trust; the Wildfowl
and Wetlands Trust.
Wildlife and Countryside Link is campaigning
for the Government’s Marine Bill to include,
among other things: Improved protection of
marine wildlife sites and species, including
stronger protection for nationally important
marine wildlife sites; A planning system for
the sea (known as marine spatial planning),
allowing co-ordinated, strategic decision-making
about which marine areas should be prioritised
for nature conservation, which for economic
development (e.g. fishing, offshore energy
development, aggregate dredging) and which
for recreational activities; Reform of inshore
fisheries.
The Labour Party’s 2005 General Election
manifesto said (p101): “Through a Marine Act,
we will introduce a new framework for the
seas, based on marine spatial planning, that
balances conservation, energy and resource
needs. To obtain best value from different
uses of our valuable marine resources, we
must maintain and protect the ecosystems on
which they depend.” The Conservative and Liberal
Democrat General Election manifestos also
included pledges to introduce a new Marine
Bill.
