Our ocean matters
and it provides us with so much
from food to energy to breathtaking encounters with marine wildlife.
But our ocean and its inhabitants are in peril.
We've got a plan for ocean recovery.
In the first video in this ocean series we talked about
how our coastal habitats can be a hero in the climate in nature recovery.
And today. I'm going to talk to you about the second part of this plan.
Protecting a third of UK seas.
First let's talk about marine protected areas
what they are and why we need them.
These are essentially ocean sanctuaries areas of the see that are
protected by law with the aim of providing a safe haven
for the species and habitats that live within them.
They can be used to protect pristine habitats or restore damaged ones to their former glory.
But the ones that offer the most protection
are the ones in which all types of damaging activity are prohibited
sometimes called no-take zones.
And if done right these can bring huge benefits for people and nature. So what does it good marine protected area look like?
Well a marine protected area or MPA for short
can provide important breeding grounds or nursery grounds for young fish
and they could help to protect important habitats like seagrass meadows
that in turn help to buffer our coasts from the impact of storms
and remove pollution from our waters.
They can also be great for sustainable tourism recreation if managed properly.
It can also bring the long-term benefits for fishing
as given this level of protection
and the time needed for it to work
fish populations with an MPA can multiply
and then spread out into areas outside of the MPA
and MPA’s can provide protection for iconic species as well
with some across the world set up specifically
to protect the breeding grounds and types of whale and dolphin.
And even entire parts of our landscapes can for be protected
for the benefit of marine species as well.
Like tropical beaches where nesting sea turtles return to year in year out.
Plus entire islands that are used by the vast flocks of nesting seabirds.
So whilst this all sounds great.
Our waters are not as well protected as they should be.
If you were to look at a map of UK seas.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that we're doing really well.
Currently over a third of UK waters are under some form of marine protected area,
but this doesn't tell the whole story.
We know that the most effective types of MPA
are those that prevent damaging activities like trawl fishing.
But currently less than 1% of our seas have this status.
In fact many UK MPA’s aren’t much more than lines on a map
with too many damaging activities permitted to take place.
This means that there's no way of telling whether their condition is improving
or more worryingly if it's getting worse.
The UK government set 14 targets for the health of our seas
but is currently failing on 11 of them.
And it will continue to do so if action isn't taken to properly protect our waters.
Which brings us to our goal.
To fully protect at least a third of UK seas by 2030
so they can support ocean recovery.
Why 30%?
Well 30% is a government target already
and one that they're calling for to be adopted across the world.
If 30% of the whole ocean were to be properly protected,
it would be a big win for the planet
and maybe even our pockets as well.
So how do we achieve our goal of ensuring that a third UK seas are fully protected by 2030?
It's actually quite simple.
We need the government to put laws into place
to ensure that our marine protected areas of properly monitored
and their rules are enforced.
To do this, we need your help.
Anyone has the power to make a difference for ocean recovery.
That's why we launched the Ocean Hero campaign with Sky Ocean Rescue.
The goal of the Ocean Hero campaign
is to show that we can all make an impact on such a big issue.
From reducing your use of single use plastic,
eating sustainable seafood,
or lowering your environmental footprint, to writing to your MP.
Join a community of people doing their bit to live for more sustainably
and discover how you can make a difference one step at a time.
Check out WWF's my footprint app.
it breaks things down into daily challenges that you can take on.
There's a link in our description if you want to find out more!
Marine protected areas are not just about protecting habitats and species
they're there to help people as well.
By protecting our incredible ocean, we can bring long-term benefits for all.
And that has to be a good thing. Right?
We hope you enjoyed this and found it interesting.
Please like it and subscribe to our channel so that you never miss a video.