Posted: Tuesday 23rd May 2017 by General Election 2017
Ana Cowie
Ana Cowie explores the importance of safeguarding our marine life and why it is important at the General Election.
I became interested in the ocean at a very young age due to an incredibly enthusiastic father who would get me up at 4 in the morning because he was too excited to sleep for a 9 hour whale watching trip we had planned the next day. This passion for the wonders beneath the waves kept on growing and will most likely never leave me.
I studied Marine Biology at Swansea University in Wales and whilst my fellow students were obsessed with turtles and dolphins, I became fascinated with the amazing intertidal creatures we have on our very doorstep such as shore crabs and anemones.
I was lucky enough to be a volunteer warden on Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire for a couple of weeks during my time as a student which was designated as the first marine conservation zone in Welsh waters in December 2014. This prevents certain detrimental activities such as fishing or dredging to take place to protect the marine wildlife and habitat. This is an important point as I cannot adequately describe the amount of life those waters were teeming with, from the vibrant seagrass meadows to the playful seals. You could visibly see the affect this EU designated MCZ had on this marine habitat.
As a wildlife lover I am incredibly concerned that all of the hard work that has been carried out to create these vital marine conservation zones will be undone and we will be back to square one after Brexit. Absolutely everyone is impacted by the ocean in some way and we need to keep the importance of protecting our seas a priority!
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, as part of the national Wildlife Trusts movement, would like to see parties commit to the environment at the election and beyond. Read more about the policy asks and how you can take action here.
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