Dr. Donal Griffin:

The Bill could benefit from an increased focus on restoration. It appears in the general scheme and allows for restoration activities to be included as MPA conservation measures, which is fantastic. However, the Bill must go further and include a targeted and strategic approach to active restoration of habitats, species and ecosystems within MPAs. Often 90% or 95% of management measures for MPAs are focused on the alleviation of pressure. Removing a pressure allows species and habitats to recover on their own. Nature can take care of that but in 5% to 10% of cases, we need to give nature a helping hand.

It needs to be drawn out more clearly in this within the remit and the framework of marine protected areas, MPAs, and that will be on the clarity of the mechanisms by which active restoration activities will be facilitated, delivered and resourced. It will need to relate to other national and international policy and strategies. We have the National Biodiversity Action Plan, of course, but we also have the forthcoming EU nature restoration law. It would be prudent to have a strategic focus on the active restoration element as well as everything else, that is, the protection the management that is the bread and butter of MPA implementation.