Seas and Oceans: British Overseas Territories

(asked on 12th December 2016) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to protect ocean habitats around Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha.


Answered by
Alan Duncan Portrait
Alan Duncan
This question was answered on 20th December 2016

The Ascension Island Government has agreed a scientific plan to determine the exact location of an evidence-based Marine Protected Area, covering at least 50% of its waters, by 2019. The Government of Tristan da Cunha is currently considering options to develop a regime to deliver marine protection across its entire Maritime Zone, which will be underpinned by science and will meet both local economic and community needs. Through implementation of its commitment to establish a Blue Belt around the UK’s Overseas Territories, the UK Government has committed £19.3m, over four years, to support the management, surveillance and enforcement across those Territories with very large-scale Marine Protected Areas or other large-scale marine protection regimes (including both Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha), and the enhancement of existing marine protection measures in all the Territories.

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