GREAT BRITISH OCEANS GREAT BRITISH OCEANS MARINE RESERVES COALITION1 and RSPB February 2015 Statement of support for the creation of marine reserves in the UK Overseas Territories of the Pitcairn Islands, Ascension Island, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands The UK has the fifth largest area of ocean in the world under its jurisdiction when its Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are taken into account. Over 94% of the UK’s unique biodiversity is found in the UKOTs, which support a large number of rare and threatened species and habitats found nowhere else on Earth. It makes good economic and environmental sense for the UK to work with its Territories to establish effective networks of marine protected areas throughout all waters under UK jurisdiction. We the undersigned are calling on the British government to protect over 1.75 million km² of the world’s oceans by creating large‐scale and fully‐protected marine reserves in three of the UKOTs – the Pitcairn Islands, Ascension Island, and South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands. Pitcairn Islands (834,000km²) With unanimous support from the local community and Pitcairn Island Council, a marine reserve in Pitcairn would offer protection to some of the most pristine waters and coral reefs on earth, providing international recognition and connecting this Territory to global marine science and tourism. Ascension Island (443,000km²) A green turtle mecca and one of the last remaining hotspots for Atlantic megafauna such as tuna, marlin and shark. Ascension’s waters offer a rare opportunity for large‐scale marine protection in the tropical Atlantic. South Sandwich Islands (530,000 km²) Uninhabited by humans, the volcanic South Sandwich Islands host huge concentrations of wildlife, including vast penguin colonies and significant whale populations. The UK Government can fully protect these areas from all extractive and damaging activity today. This would make a globally significant contribution to ocean conservation, leaving a historic legacy for people and wildlife at very little cost. Ends – This statement has been coordinated by the Marine Reserves Coalition and the RSPB and is supported by the following organisations and individuals: Non‐governmental organisations and groups: 1 The Marine Reserves Coalition is a group of five UK‐based organisations, working collaboratively on the designation of large‐scale marine reserves. Members include BLUE Marine Foundation, Greenpeace UK, Marine Conservation Society, Pew Charitable Trusts, Zoological Society of London. http://www.marinereservescoalition.org/ 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
A Focus on Nature A Rocha Army Ornithological Society BIAZA Birdlife International Blue Marine Foundation Blue Ventures Chagos Conservation Trust Coral Restoration Foundation Europe Coral Restoration Foundation International Environmental Investigation Agency Fauna and Flora International Fin Fighters UK Fish Fight Galapagos Conservation Trust Greenpeace UK International National Trusts International Union for the Conservation of Nature Linnean Society Marine Conservation Institute Marine Conservation Society Mission Blue National Geographic Society National Marine Aquarium New Economics Foundation Oceana Oceans 5 Pangea Pew Charitable Trusts Plymouth University Marine Institute Project Seahorse Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Selfridges Project Ocean Shark and Coral Conservation Trust Shark Trust The Blackfish The Deep The Waitt Foundation The Waitt Institute Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust World Animal Protection Zoological Society of London Individuals: 43. Professor 44. Professor Martin J. Attrill Jonathan Baillie Marine Institute, Plymouth University Director of Conservation, Zoological Society of London 45. Dr 46. Mr 47. Dr 48. Professor 49. Dr 50. Dr 51. Professor 52. Dr 53. Dr 54. Dr 55. Dr 56. Dr 57. Mr 58. Dr 59. Dr 60. Professor 61. Dr 62. Dr 63. Professor 64. Dr 65. Professor 66. Professor 67. Dr 68. Dr 69. Mr 70. Professor 71. Professor 72. Dr 73. Professor 74. Dr 75. Mr 76. Professor 77. Dr 78. Dr 79. Professor 80. Dr 81. Ms 82. Mr 83. Ms 84. Dr 85. Mr 86. Ms Courtney Couch David Curnick Andrew Davies Terry Dawson Nick Dulvy Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Hawaii University University College London School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University University of Dundee Canada Research Chair in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Simon Fraser University Sylvia Earle Mission Blue Graham Edgar University of Tasmania Lucy Gilliam Exxpedition Nicholas Graham James Cook University Matthew Gollock Zoological Society of London Al Harris Director, Blue Ventures Nicholas Hill Zoological Society of London Sea‐Scope Robert Irving Elin Kelsey The Cairns Institute, James Cook University Heather Koldewey Head of Global Programmes, Zoological Society of London Dan Laffoley Vice Chair, World Commission on Protected Areas Tom Letessier Zoological Society of London, Chagos Consortium Carl Lundin Director, IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme Jessica Meeuwig University of Western Australia Mark Mulligan Kings College London Ken Norris Director of Science, Zoological Society of London Elliott Norse Marine Conservation Institute Daniel Pauly University of British Columbia Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation Jurgenne Primavera Peter Raines MBE Coral Restoration International Callum Roberts University of York Alex Rogers Oxford University Enric Sala National Geographic Charles Sheppard University of Warwick Michelle Taylor Oxford University David Tickler University of Western Australia Amanda Vincent University of British Columbia Elizabeth Widman University of Warwick/Chagos Conservation Trust Elizabeth Wood Marine Conservation Society Rosie Woodroffe Senior Research Fellow, Zoological Society of London Chris Yesson Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London Gillian Anderson Actress Mark Avery Writer, wildlife expert and conservationist Helena Bonham Carter Actress Arlo Brady Managing Director, Freuds Colin Chester Ascension Island Fishing Charter Julie Christie Actress 87. Mr 88. Mr 89. Mr 90. Mr 91. Mr 92. Mr 93. Ms 94. Mr 95. Ms 96. Mr 97. Mr 98. Mr 99. Mr 100. Ms 101. Mr 102. Ms 103. Mr 104. Ms 105. Ms 106. Ms Charles Clover George Duffield Hugh Fearnley‐
Whittingstall Tony Juniper Stuart McPherson George Monbiot Tamsin Omond Chris Packham Anne Pitcher Jonathan Porritt Lewis Pugh Nicky Rohl Paul Rose Greta Scacchi Nigel Stansfield Zoe Wanamaker Wieste van der Werf Alannah Weston Olivia Williams Elisabeth Whitebread Writer Film maker & philanthropist Writer and broadcaster Campaigner, writer, sustainability adviser and environmentalist Naturalist and explorer Writer Environmental activist Naturalist and TV presenter Managing Director, Selfridges Environmentalist and writer Ocean advocate, maritime lawyer and pioneer swimmer Fishlove Explorer and BBC presenter Actress Vice President & Chief Innovations Officer, Interface Inc. Actress Founder, The Blackfish Deputy Chairman, Selfridges Group Actress Ocean Optimism