From the Ramsar Forum

Protecting marine landscapes in the Irish Sea: consultation reports

(posted to the Ramsar Forum, 3 September 2003)

From: David Stroud [David.Stroud@jncc.gov.uk]
Sent: mercredi, 3. septembre 2003 12:39
To: Ramsar Forum (E-mail)
Subject: [Ramsar Forum] Protecting marine landscapes in the Irish Sea: consultation reports

The UK Review of Marine Nature Conservation recommended setting up a pilot project to test the potential for an ecosystem approach to managing the marine environment at a regional sea scale. To this end, the Irish Sea is one of the most ecologically-distinct and recognisable regional seas around the UK, having a semi-enclosed geography and identifiable range of stakeholders and activities.

The Pilot project aims to examine the potential for regional sea management over the whole Irish Sea.

The Objectives of the Irish Sea Pilot are to:

1. test ways of integrating nature conservation into key sectors in order to make an effective contribution to sustainable development on a regional basis;

2. test the framework proposed by the paper "An implementation framework for the conservation, protection and management of nationally important marine wildlife in the UK" (http://www.jncc.gov.uk/marine/irishsea_pilot/natconfram.htm);

3. determine the potential of existing regulatory and other systems for delivering effective marine nature conservation, and identify any gaps; and

4. recommend measures to fill the gaps identified.

The pilot is charged with trialing a proposed new marine nature conservation framework in the Irish Sea, prepared by the conservation agencies of the UK - English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage, Countryside Council for Wales, and the Environment and Heritage Service (N.I.).

In a review and testing of legislation, governance and enforcement in the UK marine environment, the pilot will investigate the manner in which nature conservation objectives could be integrated into the objectives of other marine interest sectors (fisheries, oil and gas, shipping, etc.) in practice. This will require discussions with those sectors, the identification of practical solutions and the reporting on difficulties encountered.

Networking and Communication

The pilot will involve key stakeholders - local, regional, national and international - in as inclusive a manner as possible. The main 'customers' of this project are organizations that have an economic, social or environmental interest in the Irish Sea.

Further information on the Pilot is available on JNCC's web-site: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/marine/irishsea_pilot/default.htm

Note that while much of this project involves truly marine areas, much (including most of content the consultation reports above) relates to coastal and estuarine areas of the Irish Sea that fall within the scope of the Ramsar Convention. This project may thus be of interest not only in the context of some of STRP's current work programme, but also to the wider Ramsar community.

CONSULTATION REPORTS NOW AVAILABLE

One of the key outputs from the Study will be a refined 'marine landscapes' classification of ecological units, along with a suite of habitats and species for conservation action within the pilot area. It will examine the degree to which this framework can contribute to wider sustainable development in the marine environment by setting objectives for nationally important conservation features to help guide the future actions of national, regional and local regulatory bodies and users.

The Irish Sea Pilot has placed the following reports on its web site for consultation by 29 September 2003:

The identification of nationally important areas of the Irish Sea http://www.jncc.gov.uk/Marine/irishsea_pilot/pdfs/consultation_Sept2003/Marine_areas.pdf . This paper reports on the test of the criteria for identifying areas using the 'Estuaries' landscape type as an example. A process for selecting areas is presented and some alternative methods for identifying areas are discussed briefly.

Criteria for the identification of nationally important marine features http://www.jncc.gov.uk/Marine/irishsea_pilot/pdfs/consultation_Sept2003/Marine_features.pdf . The draft criteria were tested using 16 test features (landscapes, habitats, species) selected to cover the range of feature types in the Irish Sea. Modifications to the criteria are suggested. A data quality control inspection on the JNCC database was carried out to examine its comprehensiveness and a draft full list of nationally important features found in the Irish sea is presented.

A marine landscape (ecological units) classification for the Irish Sea http://www.jncc.gov.uk/Marine/irishsea_pilot/pdfs/consultation_Sept2003/Marine_landscapes.pdf . This paper describes the theory and method for classifying the marine environment at the landscapes scale. The characteristics of all the landscape types identified are presented with a map of Irish Sea marine landscapes identified.

Protecting nationally important marine areas in the Irish Sea pilot project region http://www.jncc.gov.uk/Marine/irishsea_pilot/pdfs/consultation_Sept2003/Protecting_marine_areas.pdf . A review of mechanisms used to protect special biodiversity areas has been undertaken by Callum Roberts, Fiona Gell and Julie Hawkins of York University. The authors have described an overall framework for marine conservation covering the use of fishery management techniques, and how a functional network of marine protected areas could be selected and developed for the Irish Sea. Your views are welcome on all the networking principles described and the extent to which they can help achieve sustainable use of the natural resources of the Irish Sea.

International input to the current consultation, and perspectives of other countries' experiences would be especially welcome.

Note also that there are other papers currently out for consultation on the website related to issues such as defining conservation objectives, and a report on the data and information gathering phase of the Pilot with some conclusions and recommendations for data management at the UK level. These may also be of interest

Please send all responses to steve.atkins@jncc.gov.uk or chris.lumb@jncc.gov.uk

Dr. Stephen Atkins, JNCC, Irish Sea Regional Seas Pilot Team Leader. c/o English Nature, Juniper House, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal, LA9 7RL.
+44 (0) 1539 792800 (Switchboard)
+44 (0) 1539 792832 (Direct)
+44 (0) 1539 792830 (Fax)
e: steve.atkins@jncc.gov.uk

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