Latest news with #Ocean
The Spinoff
a day ago
- Politics
- The Spinoff
New Zealand isn't just failing to act on ocean protection, it's actively undoing progress
Representing Aotearoa at the UN Ocean Conference in France last month, marine scientist Veronica Rotman felt embarrassed by our lack of leadership and our inaction. Our ocean is in an accelerating state of decline, and we must do better. Representing Aotearoa at the UN Ocean Conference was a highlight of my career as a young marine scientist. But reflecting on my time connecting with scientists and leaders from around the world, I feel a sense of lingering unease. I have always been tremendously proud to be a Kiwi. I deeply love our culture and celebrate it at every opportunity. But this week I didn't feel pride in our country. I felt embarrassed. New Zealand isn't just failing to act on restoring our ocean – recent decisions further remove protections in place, actively undoing progress made towards it. Our government has abandoned plans to establish the significant Kermadec Rangitāhua Ocean Sanctuary, introduced legislation to fast track extractive proposals such as seabed mining, and repeatedly blocked international attempts to restrict bottom trawling on vulnerable deep sea ecosystems in the South Pacific. Meanwhile, developing nations are making big, bold, ambitious commitments to revitalise our ocean and strengthen our collective futures. During the United Nations Ocean Conference, I was honoured to be in the room when Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu's climate change minister, announced a historical transboundary marine protected area between Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. French Polynesia committed ~1.1 million km² of its ocean to highly or fully protected marine protected areas. Chile pledged to protect over 50% of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Ghana declared a full ban of bottom trawling across its entire territorial sea. With minimal resources, they are still taking the most courageous action. Our Pacific neighbours understand that the health of the ocean is the same as the health of the people, that by caring for our oceans we are caring for ourselves. The ocean is not something we protect from a distance, but something we are inextricably part of. This is leadership in action – grounded in courage, collaboration and care. New Zealand, on the other hand… Well, just 0.4% of our EEZ is highly protected – that is, fully no-take. We are still the only country in the South Pacific bottom trawling for orange roughy in international waters, and we use bottom trawling to catch 70% of all commercial fish – including species such as tarakihi, snapper and hoki. This practice was recently highlighted in David Attenborough's film Ocean, and involves dragging a heavy weighted net across the seafloor – destroying seafloor habitat, releasing carbon, causing bycatch and undermining local food security. New Zealand still has some of the highest seabird bycatch in the world. We have fish and shellfish stocks that are on the brink of collapse, and our government has proposed to cap Māori customary marine rights from 100% of the coast to 5%, favouring commercial fishing interests and weakening indigenous ocean governance over ancestral marine areas. We have also not joined the 50 global leaders in ratifying the High Seas Treaty, which would help protect marine life in the high seas outside of any country's national jurisdiction – an area that currently has no rules or regulations. Essentially the wet wild west. Finally, in reference to his ambition to reopen oil and gas exploration in Aotearoa, Shane Jones, New Zealand's minister for oceans and fisheries, last month turned up to a parliamentary scrutiny session wearing a cap that read 'Make NZ great again, drill baby drill'. I wish I was kidding. I was on the world stage, representing my country that I love, but I was embarrassed by our lack of leadership and our inaction. Our ocean is in an accelerating state of decline, and our politicians are shown up (spectacularly) by their peers in the Global South. I am yet to speak to a scientist colleague who is satisfied with the status quo of marine environmental management in Aotearoa. At the UN Ocean Conference, I witnessed New Zealand get called out twice. Once for the country's inaction by Peter Thomson, the UN secretary general's special envoy for the ocean, and secondly by Vanuatu's Ralph Regenvanu for our bottom-trawling practices. This is shameful. We have to do better. As both a marine scientist and spearfisher, I experience the ocean's vulnerability and resilience firsthand. This is not anti-fishing rhetoric. We all love the ocean, and want it to flourish. But our actions must match our words. To start, our government must urgently prioritise marine protection by meeting its commitment to reach 30×30 marine protection, ratifying the High Seas Treaty now, restricting bottom trawling and supporting just transitions, upholding te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and honouring indigenous ocean knowledge and leadership, carrying out a commission of inquiry into the QMS and the monopolised quota ownership, and replacing our current regime with a transition to a more holistic ecosystem-based management approach. In an immunity booster shot of good news, New Zealand did pledge US$52 million to support ocean governance in Pacific Island Countries and contributed to the Global Fund for Coral Reefs. These are welcome commitments, but what we need is bold action in our own country that sets the bar high and dares others to follow. As I said in one of my speeches at the UN Ocean Conference, 'When we allow deep-sea mining, plastic pollution and overfishing, we are robbing future generations of choices, livelihoods, opportunities and food security. We are eroding their resilience and we are burdening our descendants with the cost of our convenience.' This is unacceptable. Ocean policy should outlast politics. The ocean should be considered in 100-year management plans and guided by intergenerational equity audits that assess the long-term impacts of marine policy and extractive approvals. I am sick of ocean action rising and falling with political tides. This is not about politics, this is about doing right by those who come after us. This is about their survival.
Observer
a day ago
- Politics
- Observer
Greece to create new marine reserves to protect wildlife
ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday said that his government was creating two new protected marine areas, fulfilling a promise he made at a United Nations conference on the oceans in June. The new protected areas — in the Ionian Sea and in the Southern Cyclades in the Aegean Sea — would be "among the largest marine protected areas in the entire Mediterranean", he said in a video message in English. The prime minister said that the "hugely damaging practice of bottom trawling" by commercial fishing boats would be banned within the new marine reserves and in all Greece's marine protected areas by 2030, making it the first country in Europe to take such a significant step in preservation. Fishing is generally allowed in protected marine areas worldwide, even by trawlers which scrape the seabed with a huge funnel-shaped net, to devastating effect. Mitsotakis said that he had "made a promise to honour (Greece's) unique marine heritage" at last month's UN Oceans Conference in southern France, "and to protect it for generations to come". "Today I am delivering on that promise with the establishment of two new marine national parks... because when we protect our ocean, we protect our own future." Greece is located in the eastern Mediterranean and has around 13,600 kilometres of coastline and hundreds of islands. Greece, Brazil and Spain all used the UN conference in Nice, to announce new protected marine reserves and measures to ban bottom trawling, in order to better protect marine wildlife. Mitsotakis said that the size of the new Greek marine reserves "will enable us to achieve the goal of protecting 30 per cent of our territorial waters by 2030". He said that the government would work with "local communities, local fishermen, scientists (and) global partners (to) make these parks examples of what is possible". In May, Athens banned bottom trawling in the waters of the Fournoi Korseon island chain in the Aegean to protect recently discovered coral reefs that are exceptionally rich in marine wildlife. Neighbouring Turkiye, whose western coast is close to the Aegean islands, responded to Monday's announcement by criticising such "unilateral action". "International maritime law encourages cooperation between the coastal states of these seas, including on environmental issues," the foreign ministry in Ankara said. Mitsotakis said that "Ocean", a new documentary by British natural history broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, had inspired Greece to accelerate efforts to protect life below the waves. "Ocean", which features spectacular footage of undersea habitats and marine life, emphasises the importance of healthy seas for tackling climate change and the current sweeping loss of wild species across the planet. Mitsotakis said "Ocean" showed that the sea was "not just beautiful scenery". "It is life itself. Delicate. Powerful. And under threat." — AFP
eNCA
2 days ago
- Politics
- eNCA
Greece to create new marine reserves to protect underwater wildlife
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday said that his government was creating two new protected marine areas, fulfilling a promise he made at a United Nations conference on the oceans in June. The new protected areas -- in the Ionian Sea and in the Southern Cyclades in the Aegean Sea -- would be "among the largest marine protected areas in the entire Mediterranean", he said in a video message in English. The prime minister said that the "hugely damaging practice of bottom trawling" by commercial fishing boats would be banned within the new marine reserves and in all Greece's marine protected areas by 2030, making it the first country in Europe to take such a significant step in preservation. Fishing is generally allowed in protected marine areas worldwide, even by trawlers which scrape the seabed with a huge funnel-shaped net, to devastating effect. Mitsotakis said that he had "made a promise to honour (Greece's) unique marine heritage" at last month's UN Oceans Conference in southern France, "and to protect it for generations to come". "Today I am delivering on that promise with the establishment of two new marine national parks... because when we protect our ocean, we protect our own future." Greece is located in the eastern Mediterranean and has around 13,600 kilometres (8,450 miles) of coastline and hundreds of islands. Greece, Brazil and Spain all used the UN conference in Nice, to announce new protected marine reserves and measures to ban bottom trawling, in order to better protect marine wildlife. Mitsotakis said that the size of the new Greek marine reserves "will enable us to achieve the goal of protecting 30 percent of our territorial waters by 2030". He said that the government would work with "local communities, local fishermen, scientists (and) global partners (to) make these parks examples of what is possible". - The oceans are 'life itself' - In May, Athens banned bottom trawling in the waters of the Fournoi Korseon island chain in the Aegean to protect recently discovered coral reefs that are exceptionally rich in marine wildlife. Neighbouring Turkey, whose western coast is close to the Aegean islands, responded to Monday's announcement by criticising such "unilateral action". "International maritime law encourages cooperation between the coastal states of these seas, including on environmental issues," the foreign ministry in Ankara said. It said that Turkey was willing to cooperate with Greece and would soon announce its own plans to protect maritime areas. Greece and Turkey, both members of NATO, have historical disputes over maritime boundaries in the Aegean Sea. They signed an agreement in 2023 aimed at easing tensions. Mitsotakis said that "Ocean", a new documentary by British natural history broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, had inspired Greece to accelerate efforts to protect life below the waves. "Ocean", which features spectacular footage of undersea habitats and marine life, emphasises the importance of healthy seas for tackling climate change and the current sweeping loss of wild species across the planet. Mitsotakis said "Ocean" showed that the sea was "not just beautiful scenery".
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Greece to create new marine reserves to protect underwater wildlife
Greece to create new marine reserves to protect underwater wildlife (Pic: AP) ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday said that his government was creating two new protected marine areas, fulfilling a promise he made at a United Nations conference on the oceans in June. The new protected areas in the Ionian Sea and in the Southern Cyclades in the Aegean Sea would be "among the largest marine protected areas in the entire Mediterranean", he said in a video message in English. The prime minister said that the "hugely damaging practice of bottom trawling" by commercial fishing boats would be banned within the new marine reserves and in all Greece's marine protected areas by 2030, making it the first country in Europe to take such a significant step in preservation. Fishing is generally allowed in protected marine areas worldwide, even by trawlers which scrape the seabed with a huge funnel-shaped net, to devastating effect. Mitsotakis said that he had "made a promise to honour (Greece's) unique marine heritage" at last month's UN Oceans Conference in southern France, "and to protect it for generations to come". "Today I am delivering on that promise with the establishment of two new marine national parks... by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo because when we protect our ocean, we protect our own future." Greece is located in the eastern Mediterranean and has around 13,600 kilometres (8,450 miles) of coastline and hundreds of islands. Greece, Brazil and Spain all used the UN conference in Nice, to announce new protected marine reserves and measures to ban bottom trawling, in order to better protect marine wildlife. Mitsotakis said that the size of the new Greek marine reserves "will enable us to achieve the goal of protecting 30 percent of our territorial waters by 2030". He said that the government would work with "local communities, local fishermen, scientists (and) global partners (to) make these parks examples of what is possible". In May, Athens banned bottom trawling in the waters of the Fournoi Korseon island chain in the Aegean to protect recently discovered coral reefs that are exceptionally rich in marine wildlife. Neighbouring Turkey, whose western coast is close to the Aegean islands, responded to Monday's announcement by criticising such "unilateral action". "International maritime law encourages cooperation between the coastal states of these seas, including on environmental issues," the foreign ministry in Ankara said. It said that Turkey was willing to cooperate with Greece and would soon announce its own plans to protect maritime areas. Greece and Turkey, both members of NATO, have historical disputes over maritime boundaries in the Aegean Sea. They signed an agreement in 2023 aimed at easing tensions. Mitsotakis said that "Ocean", a new documentary by British natural history broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, had inspired Greece to accelerate efforts to protect life below the waves. "Ocean", which features spectacular footage of undersea habitats and marine life, emphasises the importance of healthy seas for tackling climate change and the current sweeping loss of wild species across the planet. Mitsotakis said "Ocean" showed that the sea was "not just beautiful scenery". "It is life itself. Delicate. Powerful. And under threat."
Euronews
2 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Greek PM announces two national marine parks in Ionian and Aegean Seas
The Greek Prime Minister announced the creation of two new marine parks in the Ionian and South Aegean Seas. Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the new parks in a television message, which, alongside their environmental goals, also have diplomatic implications. Given the diplomatic tension with Libya and Turkey over maritime zones, the announcement indicates that the Greek side considers the Turcolibian Memorandum invalid and unsubstantiated in practice, as it has said many times and in all international forums. 'Among the largest marine protected areas in the entire Mediterranean' In his message, the Greek Prime Minister referred exclusively to the protection of the marine environment. "The sea has always been the silent power of Greece. It is part of who we are - it has shaped our culture and history, nourishes our people and nurtures our spirit," he said. "Last month, at the UN Conference on Oceans on the Mediterranean coast of France, I made a promise - to honour this unique maritime heritage and protect it for future generations." He said he was delivering on that promise by creating two new national marine parks - one in the Ionian Sea and one in the Southern Cyclades. Mitsotakis added that these parks "will be among the largest marine protected areas in the entire Mediterranean" and will allow Greece to reach its target of protecting 30 per cent of its territorial waters by 2030 much earlier than originally planned. "They will become vast refuges of life beneath the waves. They will also help to preserve ecosystems, restore balance and set a bold new standard for marine protection," he said. "And perhaps most importantly, within these maritime zones, the highly destructive practice of trawling will be banned." Mitsotakis added that Sir David Attenborough's new 'Ocean' documentary had "reinforced [his] commitment to do more in managing the sea - to redefine our relationship with it. Not as owners. But as custodians". "We will protect, yes. But we will also educate, collaborate and lead," he said. "Working with local communities, local fishermen, scientists, and international partners, we will make these parks examples of what is possible. By doing so, Greece can become a voice of the sea in Europe and beyond. "Because when we protect our ocean, we protect our own future." What does the creation of national marine parks really mean? Parks are established on the basis of strict environmental criteria, which help to facilitate their integrated and effective management. The area is treated in an integrated manner and allows for better regulation of permitted uses and activities. In the national marine parks, trawling will be completely banned, and additional measures and restrictions are foreseen to effectively protect the most vulnerable habitats and species. They will be monitored using an integrated surveillance system - including drones, radar, satellite imagery and more - by Greece's Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency OFYPEKA. How big will the new marine parks be? The boundaries of marine parks were identified following the respective Specific Environmental Assessments (SEAs), which are subject to public consultation in accordance with national and EU legislation, based on their ecological and environmental value. The two parks include and integrate scattered protected areas already belonging or under inclusion in the European Natura 2000 network. The South Aegean National Marine Park 1 - Southern Cyclades includes 18 existing Natura 2000 sites, and the Ionian National Marine Park includes 24 sites. The parks are coherent and geographically defined in order to allow for monitoring and effective management for their effective protection. Their extent even exceeds the initial announcements made by the Prime Minister at the 9th Our Ocean Conference in April last year. That announcement suggested marine parks covering a total area of 22,000 km2 (14,000 km2 in the Ionian Sea and 8,000 km2 in the Southern Aegean). Today, on the basis of the respective specific environmental studies, the area has increased by 25 per cent to about 27,500 km2 (about 18,000 km2 and 9,500 km2 respectively).
