This has been a significant week for our marine environment.
Yesterday MEPs voted on the future of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). We are delighted that they overwhelmingly voted in favour of the proposed reforms. We believe the reform will pave the way to the restoration of fish stocks, a healthier marine environment, and a better future for fishermen.
Dr Euan Dunn, our head of marine policy said:
“The European Parliament deserves huge credit for taking the pulse of public opinion and discarding the sticking plasters of the past, and instead opting for the radical surgery that fisheries management has been crying out for. As a result we hope that Europe’s seas and all those who depend on them will have a brighter future.”
This is great news.
Though our joy about the CFP result is of course tempered somewhat by the disaster of the stranded south coast seabirds. The pollutant has been identified as polyisobutene (PIB), which is used for a wide range of purposes, from fuel additives to chewing gum.
PIB currently has the lowest hazard classification under the international shipping regulations MARPOL (category Z, substances presenting a minor hazard to either marine resources or human health and therefore justifying less stringent restrictions on the quality and quantity of discharge into the marine environment)
Although there are some restrictions, it is perfectly legal to discharge certain amounts of this ‘minor hazard’ into our marine environment when vessels wash out their tanks.
PIB is believed to have been responsible for over 4,000 seabird deaths in at least three other incidents around European coasts in recent years. We believe the current classification does not take into consideration the impact on marine wildlife when PIB is mixed with sea water.
If you can bear it, take a look at a video from the Portland Bill Observatory. Scroll down the page to 2 February, the video is below some still images of stranded guillemots. Please note that rescuers were unable to save this poor bird as it was entirely inaccessible at the base of steep cliffs - this film was taken from the cliff top. I don’t think anyone seeing this heartbreaking video could describe PIB as ‘a minor hazard’.
We are calling for the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to urgently reclassify PIB, and implement regulations that prevent it from it from causing any further incidents like those seen this last week.
If you want to help us continue our work to safeguard our sealife , you can make a donation online here. Thank you.
Dead guillemots: Marc Smith, Dorset Wildlife Trust