Blue Marine Foundation
The Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) is a charity dedicated to creating marine reserves and establishing sustainable models of fishing.
BLUE’s vision is a healthy ocean forever, for everyone, and their aim is to see 10 % of ocean under protection by 2020 and 30% by 2030. The charity have had incredible worldwide conservation wins since their launch in 2010 and have developed new innovations in fisheries management. OCL are working to support BLUE’s projects both in Jersey and further afield by helping their media unit deliver these conservation success stories to the world.
BLUE are dedicated to creating marine reserves, restoring vital habitats and establishing models of sustainable fishing. Their work in Lyme Bay has shown that it is possible to deliver conservation gains which benefit small-scale fishermen and their communities. BLUE now hope to play a role in protecting Jersey’s marine life, creating an ‘emerald ring’ of marine protected areas in Jersey’s inshore waters, allowing marine life to flourish and the local, low impact fleet to thrive.
Jersey’s waters - with their seagrass, kelp forests and maerl beds - showcase some of the best shallow marine habitats in the British Isles. The stunning biodiversity within these emerald waters is not just ecologically important, but sustains the livelihoods of local fishing communities.
In 2017, the States of Jersey made a strong commitment to marine conservation by establishing two large marine protected areas (MPA’s). Les Ecrehous and Les Minquiers. Within these areas vulnerable and important habitats are conserved and fishing is practised sustainably. Two years on, marine habitats are already showing strong recovery in these areas, benefitting fish stocks and other marine species
However, much of Jersey’s waters remains unprotected and the impact on marine life unknown. BLUE is working in collaboration with the local fishing community and the Societe Jersiaise to increase the protection of Jersey’s rich and complex marine environment. BLUE is applying its win-win model of fishery co-management, conservationists, scientists and regulations, and proves that by using low impact methods, fisherman’s livelihoods can improve while marine biodiversity thrives.
Blue are working closely with local fisherman like Toby and The Jersey Catch to make changes that will improve their future fishing in the Channel Islands, ultimately making things better for future generations.
Photography - Matt Porteous, Matt Sharp
Camera - Canon, Fuji Location - Jersey, The Minquiers
Website - www.bluemarinefoundation.com
Instagram - @bluemarinefoundation
