The State will move quickly to ratify the UN high seas treaty and back implementation of the European Union ocean pact, which will mean greater protection of marine areas and conservation of fish across Europe, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.
Speaking in Nice on Monday, where he is attending the UN oceans conference, Mr Martin said he would be asking relevant Ministers to short-circuit ratification of the treaty in advance of a new EU directive coming into force.
It aims to protect a vast area of ocean beyond national boundaries by providing governance structures “in the interests of conservation and protection, because without the oceans, we do not have a planet”, he said at a briefing.
Speaking at the opening, UN secretary general António Guterres called on more than 60 global leaders present to move “from plundering to protection”, by addressing illegal fishing, plastic pollution and rising sea temperatures that threaten delicate ecosystems and the people who depend on them.
“The ocean is the ultimate shared resource, but we are failing it,” Mr Guterres said, citing rising sea levels, collapsing fish stocks and ocean acidification.
The Taoiseach said at the briefing that the Government is to introduce legislation banning fishing for sprat and other species by trawlers operating in estuaries, following reports that whales and dolphins were leaving Irish waters because of an absence of fish in their traditional feeding areas. A previous directive was struck down by the High Court in 2020.
Mr Martin said this legislation was required to support the blue economy, including conservation of whales, dolphins and seabirds, and to protect ecotourism.
Ireland is moving to protect 30 per cent of its marine areas by 2030, he told the conference. “By restoring our marine ecosystems and supporting sustainable fishing, we will not only protect our marine environment but also preserve and strengthen all the special communities that call the coast their home,” he added.
Mr Martin endorsed the EU pact agreed in recent days, which commits to bringing “20 per cent of Europe’s marine ecosystems back to life by 2030”. If work to drive its implementation falls during the State’s EU presidency next year, “we will ensure [it’s] resourced and prioritised accordingly”.
He expressed disappointment that there was not a senior US delegation at the conference. The US under President Donald Trump is not considered likely to ratify the treaty.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said €1 billion would be allocated to scientists and conservationists around the world for 50 projects.
“We will strive to cut plastic and nutrient pollution by half within five years. We will restore natural habitats and shelter our coasts more effectively from the impact of climate change. We are inches away from the 60 signatures for ratification,” she added.
French president Emmanuel Macron, the conference’s co-host, said 50 countries had ratified and 15 promised to do so. The treaty will only come into force once 60 countries ratify it.
