Minister says marine park plans will protect Jersey's territorial waters

Marine protected areas currently cover about 6.4% of Jersey's territorial waters

Jersey's environment minister wants to create a marine park to better protect local waters.

Jonathan Renouf said he was proposing creating the park by extending marine protected areas (MPAs) to about 30% of island territorial waters.

MPAs, currently 6.4% of local waters, do not permit towed fishing gear and "destructive extractive process" to protect marine habitats.

Deputy Renouf said he hoped to have a States proposition by the end of 2023.

MPAs cover "ecologically important shallow marine habitats including seagrass and maerl beds and are recognised at international level through the OSPAR Convention", Jersey's government said.

Deputy Renouf said the proposal would stem from work on the Marine Spatial Plan, a waters equivalent of the Island Plan, which was due to be "published for consultation soon".

He said: "In the course of preparing the draft Marine Spatial Plan, it has become evident that a clear scientific basis exists to expand and add to our network of marine protected areas.

"The proposition, which I plan to lodge in the next few months, will set out the detailed timetable and methodology for establishing the boundaries of the park, and its management.

"There will be a full consultation with all stakeholders, including with our own fishing fleet, and our neighbours in France and Guernsey."

It would also show the island's commitment to the international 30by30 Initiative agreed in December 2022, he added.