I ddarllen y blog yma yn y Gymraeg cliciwch yma.
The diverse and rich habitats around the coast of Wales are incredibly important for the wildlife and the people that live there. Picture-book puffins, gliding manx shearwater and terns that dart and dive through the air are just some of the characters that bring our windswept coast to life. But like so much of our environment, our seas are increasingly threatened by man-made pressures like fishing, tourism and climate change. It is crucial that we safeguard spaces for wildlife to protect them, and one way of doing this is through Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). (Take a look at our recent blog to find out more.)
Ed Marshall, rspb-images.com
We’re delighted, therefore, that the Welsh and UK governments recently announced the designation of six new Marine Protected Areas in Wales, which will act as vital stepping stones in creating a network of protected spaces for marine life. This network will secure the long-term survival of some of our most charismatic and vulnerable species, above and below water.
These new sites recognise that our rare wildlife not only needs protection on land where they breed, but also the areas at sea where they breed and live. They are an important step towards ensuring that our marine species and habitats are properly protected through a network of MPAs. Did you know the Atlantic puffin is now as endangered as the African elephant and the Pembrokeshire islands host the one UK population that is increasing? To protect these iconic birds, it is vital that we protect their key breeding and feeding areas around Wales. The new MPAs will help us to do this.
What are Marine Protected Areas?
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a tool we can use to protect the marine environment and help us to use it sustainably. Two types of new MPAs have been allocated in Wales, which means they are recognised as some of the most important sites in Europe: Special Protection Areas (SPA) for a number of seabird species, and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) for harbour porpoise, which protect marine species and habitats.
Special Areas of Conservation for harbour porpoise
Harbour porpoises are the only porpoise found in European waters and are the smallest of their family. They like shallow coastal waters and are very secretive, but can be easily recognised by the sneezing sound they make when they blow out water. After a UK-wide consultation, a total of five Special Areas of Conservation have been allocated for these special animals across the UK, and have been submitted to the European Commission for approval. The three that fall in Welsh Waters are:
Copyright Joint Nature Conservation Committee http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=7059
Special Protected Areas for seabirds in Wales[G1]
Anglesey Terns/ Morwenoliaid Ynys Môn SPA
The waters around Anglesey are an important foraging area for terns. The existing Special Protection Area (SPA), which includes nesting sites for Arctic, common, roseate and sandwich terns, has been extended to include protection for their foraging areas. These areas are vital to the terns during the breeding season so it’s a huge benefit for the population that they’re now protected. This site also overlaps with the new North Anglesey Marine / Gogledd Môn Forol Special Area of Conservation for harbour porpoise.
Northern Cardigan Bay/ Gogledd Bae Ceredigion SPA
This is a brand new designated site for large numbers of wintering red-throated divers. Red throated divers breed in the Northern extremes of Scotland, and spend their winters in the relative warmth of Cardigan bay. The site also overlaps of the West Wales Marine / Cymru Gollewin Forol SAC for harbour porpoise.
Skomer, Skokholm and the seas off Pembrokeshire/ Sgomer, Sgogwm a Moroedd Penfro SPA
Skomer and Skokholm islands lie just off the South West coast of Pembrokeshire and have over 50% of the world’s population of manx shearwaters, making them the best and most important site for the species internationally. The existing Skokholm and Skomer SPAs have been extended to reach out to offshore waters to protect areas frequently used by Manx shearwaters and puffin during the breeding season. This is important for Manx shearwaters in particular, as they spend daylight hours in the waters near to their colony, only returning to their nests under the cover of darkness. This extension almost doubles the size of the SPA, with the site extending south into English waters - a huge success for the wildlife that depends on it.
Protecting special places for future generations
The sea truly is a special place. Humans rely on it for the food on our plates, the oxygen we breathe, the water we drink, for recreation, for power to turn on our lights. Also, many wildlife relies on it for their home, their food, their oxygen and their very survival. The sea may not be on everyone’s doorsteps, but it’s essential we protect these special places so that future generations, and wildlife, can benefit from everything they provide too.