NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
Remember David Cameron proving his green credentials by having a ?photo op? driving a sledge pulled by huskies in the Arctic some years ago.
Well the good news is that ?Dave? is still green!
As of today the United Kingdom government start a process which will create a marine reserve as large as the United Kingdom and whilst its goods news the downside is it will not be in waters close to home.
The reserve will be around the British Ascension Island in the South Atlantic said to hold some of the largest marlin in the world, one of the largest populations of green turtles, big colonies of tropical seabirds and the island’s own unique frigate bird.
The reserve will total 234,291 sq km, slightly less than the size of the United Kingdom and it should be ready for formal designation as soon as 2017, once further data has been collected and analysed.
So it?s good news for the sea life and rare marine mammals in that area but as we highlighted recently meanwhile in waters around the British Isles wholesale destruction is being wrought by industrialised fishing by so called super-trawlers (see links):
Appeals by us to the Irish and UK governments late last year produced anodyne responses and the EU Commission ?well known to be in the pocket of the large commercial fishing interests is still to respond.
In our lifetime species of certain fish have almost be exploited to extinction in the North Sea and Irish and Celtic Seas. These however are the resources that we should for the sake of our children and succeeding generations protect.
So top marks David for creating this massive marine reserve around Ascension now let?s see some similar major efforts closer to home by both the UK, Irish and Manx governments!
Photo: David among the Huskies!
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Celtic News
04/01/16
THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE
The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues
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