Conservationists and snorkeling fans alike will be excited
at one of the newest marine reserves--Lundy
Island, off the southwest coast of Great Britain, is now recognized as the
UK's first official marine conservation zone. Dubbed "Britain's
Galapagos" for the rich marine life
it shelters, the island was
privately owned until 1969, when it became part of the National Trust. Although
it has been a protected location since then, it recently became the first protected
marine area under Britain's
new Marine and Coastal Access Act. With this new legislation, Britain hopes
to increase protection of marine wildlife and habitat. Like oceans around the
world, the waters around Britain
currently face a major
overfishing crisis, with many of the native fish stocks severely
threatened. As the government and national conservation groups work to reverse
this trend before it is too late, reserves such as the one on Lundy Island
are critical to restoring natural balance in Britain's marine ecosystems.
Exactly which animals are being protected on Lundy Island?
The island is home to much of Britain's
marine life, including puffins and other seabirds, as well as the Atlantic Gray
Seal, and many species of seaweed, sponges, and other marine wildlife. As the
first of many marine conservation zones in Britain, the island is an important
part of marine biologist Sylvia
Earle's vision for a worldwide network of marine protected areas. As Earle
notes, protecting the oceans is important for all life on earth. With less than 1% of the world's oceans
currently protected, it is imperative that we recognize the importance of
creating reserves around Lundy
Island and in other
marine areas.
Although most of Seacology's projects
protect islands in the southern hemisphere, if Earle's vision is realized, the
protected area around Lundy
Island could connect with
a Seacology reserve in the South Pacific, thousands of miles away. Not only would
a network of MPAs protect marine wildlife around the world, but it might give
Lundy's seals a chance for a long-awaited tropical vacation!
