Marine Protected Areas

Dunne Heath Coastal Habitat
Courtesy NPWS © Photographer: Jim Martin

Ireland is obligated, under EU and International agreements, to protect 10% of its coastal and marine areas by 2020 and to increase that target by 30% in 2030. While Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) do exist in Ireland the 6th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity  reports that only 1.32% of Ireland’s marine and coastal areas are protected, indicating that considerable progress still needs to be made to reach the target. This ranks Ireland as having the second lowest coverage in Europe. 

 In addition, many of the existing MPAs are located in terrestrial coastal habitat, therefore reducing their ability to be fully protected as Marine Reserves where habitat destruction and the removal of marine creatures are prohibited. I reland has committed itself to establishing MPAs under the OSPAR Convention to Protect the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic. 19 OSPAR sites currently exist in Ireland however, there is no legislation set in place to enact full legal protection on sites designated under international agreement, therefore access to these areas continues.

The establishment of an effectively managed network of Marine Protected Areas could greatly improve the quality of Ireland's marine environment and would be in accordance with international commitments under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. It could also provide  sustainable employment for local communities and help as an adaptive measure to reduce the impact of climate change.