European Union is going to set up fishing-free zones in remote parts of the Atlantic Ocean in the world’s first high seas network of protected areas beyond the control of national governments. Environment ministers from 15 European states, forming the OSPAR group overseeing the North-East Atlantic, said for Atlantic fishing –free zones recognitions of the six areas at the United Nations and from the United States and Canada on the other side of the ocean are needed.
Norwegian Environment Minister Erik Solheim told that this is a historic step. He urged the world countries to form such fishing free zones in the Indian Ocean, the Pacific and other oceans. He added that such free zones will give a new level of protection to species living in the mid-Atlantic.
Experts believe that if such fishing –free zones happen then it could mean permanent bans on fishing or seabed drilling or mining, perhaps even restrictions on shipping. The six zones, covering a total 285,000 square kilometres or an area equivalent in size to Italy or Arizona, are mainly north of the Azores and west of Ireland.
European Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik also praised the deal as “a ground-breaking initiative.” Portugal approved protected zones off the Azores in an area where it may have extra rights to the seabed, while Iceland refused. Humberto Rosa, Portuguese Secretary of State for the Environment, said that the marine protected areas will be beneficial for fisheries.
He told that Lisbon was betting that benefits of fishing-free areas, including a permanent ban on trawlers that drag nets over the seabed, would outweigh any possible future gains such as finds of oil or minerals in the zone. Iceland, however, refused to grant protection to an area of the high seas south of the volcanic island where it claims the seabed under the UN rules.
