Sir, – Your editorial “The Irish Times view on the UN report on migratory species – further evidence of the toll of human activities” (February 13th) addresses the global climate and biodiversity crisis we face.
The impacts are already biting deeply in Ireland.
Two of the country’s most iconic birds, the puffin and kittiwake, are globally threatened and have declined significantly in Ireland, while some of our most endangered shark species have suffered up to 90 per cent population declines since the early 1900s.
To the Government’s credit, the forthcoming Marine Protected Area (MPA) Bill would help to address this alarming loss of biodiversity at sea. When enacted, the Bill will help the Government achieve its own targets of designating 30 per cent of Irish seas as an MPA, which must include 10 per cent strictly protected areas.
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However, the publication of this Bill has been repeatedly delayed.
If we are to stem the depletion of our marine world, we need laws that will protect and conserve our most precious resource. Notwithstanding the legal, technical, and scientific complexity of the Bill, the Government needs to act with urgency, and ensure a strong MPA Bill is enacted as quickly as possible. – Yours, etc,
Dr DONAL GRIFFIN,
Fair Seas Coalition,
Macro Centre,
Dublin 7.
