The Marine Protected Areas Bill, a crucial and trailblazing environment-oriented piece of legislation, may allocate 30 per cent of Irish seas as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030. This step is instrumental towards conserving habitats and marine species in Ireland’s waters. Further, it plays an influential role in future fishing activities and offshore wind development. Regrettably, the Bill has been postponed repeatedly and seems unlikely to be enacted by the current administration.
Kevin O’Sullivan recently exposed reasons for the delay in an insightful article. He reminded us of the hurdles still being faced in the wake of biodiversity and climate crises. He detailed how the Department of Housing presented a marked version of the Bill in May, due for final Cabinet approval. Nevertheless, unexpected objections arose from the Departments of Agriculture and the Environment. While there weren’t any significant disagreements with the Bill’s overarching policy, certain areas of the document made both departments uncomfortable enough to halt its submission to the Cabinet.
Both departments’ stance on the legislation is undisputed, given the Bill’s probable repercussions on the offshore energy sector and the fishing industry. Perfecting these aspects is of utmost importance. However, the spontaneous intervention by the officials just when the Bill was about to be presented to the Cabinet raises questions about of whether they receive adequate consultation previously.
It’s clear that for any environmental law to be successfully enacted and implemented, there must be regular and continual interaction with the relevant stakeholders. The Bill’s revised version was to be sent back to the Attorney General’s office for review this summer, however this did not occur until mid-September, which led to missed opportunities for a government with limited Dáil sitting days. This implies two possibilities: either the contentious issues were more complicated than envisaged or a distressing deficiency of urgency and priority within the department stalled the Bill’s enactment. Either outlook is far from promising.
The Bill for Marine Protected Areas isn’t simply a benefitting add-on legislation; it is a vital tool in combatting the climate crisis, as our ocean’s wellbeing is fatally interwoven with these efforts. The ocean contributes to an astounding fifty percent of the oxygen we inhale – every alternate breath we take is a gift from the ocean.
Moreover, this Bill proposes essential frameworks that are expected to reverse the decreasing marine life. This could potentially provide needed benefits for fisherfolk who are dependent on a thriving ocean. Broadly speaking, seaside communities should anticipate advantages from strategies to maintain continuous involvement of these communities in managing and creating Marine Protected Areas.
An aspect not typically mentioned, but bearing equal weight, is the renewing and connecting influence seas have on individuals. According to a study conducted by Fair Seas in 2023, called The Ocean Literacy Survey, above 94% of participants reported having deliberately visited a coastal region during the previous year. Among these, 60% characterised the emotions invoked as wonderment, while 69% reported feeling revitalised after such an experience. Other popular responses included feelings of calmness or a deeper bond with nature.
These statistics are significantly more substantial than corresponding studies in England and Wales, where only 39% and 41% of respondents felt a feeling of wonder, respectively. The Irish possess a profound attachment to the sea, which remarkably, offers tangible mental health benefits.
The Marine Protected Area Bill was anticipated as a simple accomplishment for the current Government – an environmental triumph for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, plus further confirmation for the Green Party. It has received consistent cross-party support, with widespread approval of the idea of granting our seas more formal protection.
However, despite the widespread public and political alignment, the bill’s stagnation demonstrates a disconnect between the urgency citizens demand, and what the Government Ministers, and their officials seem competent to deliver. If the MPA Bill is unable to progress, it will be a bitter parting memory of this Government.
Sorley McCaughey serves as a spokesperson for the Fair Seas campaign, a collective of environmental non-governmental organisations including Irish Wildlife Trust, Birdwatch Ireland, Environmental Pillar, Streamscapes, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Coastwatch and Sustainable Water Network.