SIX conservation organisations have joined forces to create the Irish Sea Network; they hope to help its Nature and wildlife flourish with a simpler, unified approach, in the face of climate change and potentially damaging activities such as fishing, shipping and pollution.
Manx Wildlife Trust, North Wales Wildlife Trust, the North West Wildlife Trusts, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Sustainable Water Network (Ireland), The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales and Ulster Wildlife published a joint review of the ‘degraded’ area last week. Findings include the fact that 36% of the Irish Sea is a Marine Protected Area (MPA), yet only about 5% has management in place and less than 0.01% is fully protected. ‘Wildlife does not adhere to lines drawn on maps,’ explains Georgia de Jong Cleyndert, head of marine at the North West Wildlife Trusts. ‘That’s why we are calling on politicians and business leaders to work with us.’
Some 15 million people live around the Irish Sea and tourism and recreational activities are fundamental,
