Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve
Update from Our Ocean 2016:
Formally brought into force as a no-take reserve on September 15, 2016 as annouunced in a speech by The Right Honourable Sir Alan Duncan Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The UK also announced its intention to establish a large-scale, no-take MPA around Pitcairn Island, once an effective monitoring and enforcement regime can be established and funded.
**Announced in March 2015**
The UK is to establish the largest, continuous marine reserve in the world, around the Pitcairn Islands. The Pacific zone will cover 834,000 sq km (322,000 sq miles) - more than twice the land area of the British Isles. The intention is to protect the wealth of ocean life from illegal fishing activities. A satellite "watchroom" has been established to monitor vessel activity, and to gather the information needed to prosecute unauthorised trawling. The announcement of the reserve came in Chancellor George Osborne's pre-election Budget. (BBC News)
Marine Reserves Coalition - Great British Oceans
Marine Reserves Coalition – UK Overseas Territories: http://www.marinereservescoalition.org/conservation/uk-overseas-territories/
Pew Environment Group – Protect Pitcairn Island: an Underwater Bounty: http://www.pewenvironment.org/campaigns/global-ocean-legacy-pitcairn/id/85899364751
Marine & Oceanic Sustainability Foundation: http://www.mosfoundation.org/proposed-pitcairn-islands-marine-reserve/
