A scrutiny panel has called on Jersey's environment minister to make two "key amendments" to the Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) amid concerns it could harm crucial habitats.
Environment Minister Deputy Steve Luce introduced a revised version of the MSP in July, reducing protected marine areas from 27% to 23% of Jersey's waters. He said the revision aimed to balance the needs of both "the fishing fleet and environmentalists."
Deputy Hilary Jeune, chair of the environment scrutiny panel, urged the States Assembly to approve changes to the MSP before it is debated on 22 and 23 October. The first proposed amendment would require the minister to create a framework for tracking the MSP's progress. The second would ask the Assembly to review each proposed marine protected area (MPA) individually.
These MPAs would limit fishing activities to safeguard certain areas of the marine environment.
Jeune expressed concern over the reduced protections for local maerl beds, rare pink calcified seaweed habitats that serve as nurseries for fish and crustaceans vital to the long-term sustainability of the fishing industry. She warned that damaging these habitats now could jeopardize the future of the fishing sector.
Freddie Watson, Channel Islands project manager for the Blue Marine Foundation, stressed the ecological importance of the maerl beds, calling them some of the most biodiverse habitats in the world, surpassing even coral reefs and seagrass. Watson emphasised that protecting these areas is essential for ensuring a sustainable future for Jersey's marine environment.
"This is a rare opportunity," he said, "and likely the only chance for decades to come."