We provide here the Statement, February 2015, issued by the Great British Oceans campaign (Marine Reserves Coalition) in support of 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 biodiversitybiodiversity Biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals. 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 astuna, 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.”
This statement has been co-ordinated by the Marine Reserves Coalition and the RSPB and is supported by the following organisations and individuals:
Non‐governmental organisations and groups:
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.
www.marinereservescoalition.org/
1. A Focus on Nature
2. A Rocha
3. Army Ornithological Society
4. BIAZA
5. Birdlife International
6. Blue Marine Foundation
7. Blue Ventures
8. Chagos Conservation Trust
9. Coral Restoration Foundation Europe
10. Coral Restoration Foundation International
11. Environmental Investigation Agency
12. Faunafauna The animals characteristic of a region, period, or special environment and Flora International
13. Fin Fighters UK
14. Fish Fight
15. Galapagos Conservation Trust
16. Greenpeace UK
17. International National Trusts
18. International Union for the Conservation of Nature
19. Linnean Society
20. Marine Conservation Institute
21. Marine Conservation Society
22. Mission Blue
23. National Geographic Society
24. National Marine Aquarium
25. New Economics Foundation
26. Oceana
27. Oceans 5
28. Pangea
29. Pew Charitable Trusts
30. Plymouth University Marine Institute
31. Project Seahorse
32. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
33. Selfridges Project Ocean
34. Shark and Coral Conservation Trust
35. Shark Trust
36. The Blackfish
37. The Deep
38. The Waitt Foundation
39. The Waitt Institute
40. Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
41. World Animal Protection
42. Zoological Society of London
Individuals:
43. Professor Martin J. Attrill Marine Institute, Plymouth University
44. Professor Jonathan Baillie Director of Conservation, Zoological Society of London
45. Dr Courtney Couch Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Hawaii University
46. Mr David Curnick University College London
47. Dr Andrew Davies School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University
48. Professor Terry Dawson University of Dundee
49. Dr Nick Dulvy Canada Research Chair in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation,
Simon Fraser University
50. Dr Sylvia Earle Mission Blue
51. Professor Graham Edgar University of Tasmania
52. Dr Lucy Gilliam Exxpedition
53. Dr Nicholas Graham James Cook University
54. Dr Matthew Gollock Zoological Society of London
55. Dr Al Harris Director, Blue Ventures
56. Dr Nicholas Hill Zoological Society of London
57. Mr Robert Irving Sea‐Scope
58. Dr Elin Kelsey The Cairns Institute, James Cook University
59. Dr Heather Koldewey Head of Global Programmes, Zoological Society of London
60. Professor Dan Laffoley Vice Chair, World Commission on Protected Areas
61. Dr Tom Letessier Zoological Society of London, Chagos Consortium
62. Dr Carl Lundin Director, IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme
63. Professor Jessica Meeuwig University of Western Australia
64. Dr Mark Mulligan Kings College London
65. Professor Ken Norris Director of Science, Zoological Society of London
66. Professor Elliott Norse Marine Conservation Institute
67. Dr Daniel Pauly University of British Columbia
68. Dr Jurgenne Primavera Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation
69. Mr Peter Raines MBE Coral Restoration International
70. Professor Callum Roberts University of York
71. Professor Alex Rogers Oxford University
72. Dr Enric Sala National Geographic
73. Professor Charles Sheppard University of Warwick
74. Dr Michelle Taylor Oxford University
75. Mr David Tickler University of Western Australia
76. Professor Amanda Vincent University of British Columbia
77. Dr Elizabeth Widman University of Warwick/Chagos Conservation Trust
78. Dr Elizabeth Wood Marine Conservation Society
79. Professor Rosie Woodroffe Senior Research Fellow, Zoological Society of London
80. Dr Chris Yesson Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London
81. Ms Gillian Anderson Actress
82. Mr Mark Avery Writer, wildlife expert and conservationist
83. Ms Helena Bonham Carter Actress
84. Dr Arlo Brady Managing Director, Freuds
85. Mr Colin Chester Ascension Island Fishing Charter
86. Ms Julie Christie Actress
87. Mr Charles Clover Writer
88. Mr George Duffield Film maker & philanthropist
89. Mr Hugh Fearnley‐Whittingstall Writer and broadcaster
90. Mr Tony Juniper Campaigner, writer, sustainability adviser and environmentalist
91. Mr Stuart McPherson Naturalist and explorer
92. Mr George Monbiot Writer
93. Ms Tamsin Omond Environmental activist
94. Mr Chris Packham Naturalist and TV presenter
95. Ms Anne Pitcher Managing Director, Selfridges
96. Mr Jonathan Porritt Environmentalist and writer
97. Mr Lewis Pugh Ocean advocate, maritime lawyer and pioneer swimmer
98. Mr Nicky Rohl Fishlove
99. Mr Paul Rose Explorer and BBC presenter
100. Ms Greta Scacchi Actress
101. Mr Nigel Stansfield Vice President & Chief Innovations Officer, Interface Inc.
102. Ms Zoe Wanamaker Actress
103. Mr Wieste van der Werf Founder, The Blackfish
104. Ms Alannah Weston Deputy Chairman, Selfridges Group
105. Ms Olivia Williams Actress
106. Ms Elisabeth Whitebread Ocean Optimism
Source: Marine Oceans Coalition, February 2015. For further details, see www.greatbritishoceans.org/great-british-oceans-statement-feb-2015.pdf