Read on Twitter
A thread on the Tristan da Cunha announcement today 
This is the real mic drop moment for Tristan and a huge step forward for marine conservation, with Tristan da Cunha right at the centre!
https://twitter.com/fkilpatricktdc/status/1327038718365020160
This is the real mic drop moment for Tristan and a huge step forward for marine conservation, with Tristan da Cunha right at the centre!
https://twitter.com/fkilpatricktdc/status/1327038718365020160
First of all, the big ticket item - a no take zone larger than France! This includes a range of habitats and, crucially, also covers some previously fished areas (both bottom and pelagic fisheries). No accusations of only protecting from non-existent human activities here!
This is NOT a paper park - @The_MMO, @OceanMindGlobal and others have spent a lot of time over the last few years developing compliance and enforcement strategies for these remote areas with the Tristan Government (these are also applied in the other @ukgovbluebelt territories).
But wait there's more!! Today isn't just about a (GIANT) MPA.
Around 9% of the Tristan da Cunha EEZ is left open for fishing, to preserve the livelihoods and cultural traditions of its residents
Around 9% of the Tristan da Cunha EEZ is left open for fishing, to preserve the livelihoods and cultural traditions of its residents
One of the major focus areas for the Blue Belt and British Antarctic Survey programmes has been the seamounts, where Tristan licence a fishery for a deep-water fish called bluenose
The new MPA includes protection of a proportion of each of the four seamounts, allowing for the preservation both of fish stocks and vulnerable habitats. https://twitter.com/JamesBellOcean/status/1327166853865746433
But wait, there's more! In addition to the no take zones, Tristan da Cunha have also completely banned bottom trawling!!! This decision will have massive implications for the health of those seafloor ecosystems, particularly for wonderful deep-sea ecosystems like coral
In partnership with @DeepSeaEcol and @Amelia_Bridges at @PlymUni - we have pioneered the application of data limited habitat models to take an evidence-led, precautionary approach to conserving these vital ecosystems.
Folks...there's still more....
Tristan and partners have done loads of work ensuring that the seamount fisheries will be sustainable into the future, both in terms of the target species, bluenose, and the potential impacts on threatened species. For example, 100% observer coverage
If you don't know how much work it is to go from a fishery with almost no data, to the management we have in place now, well it...is...a...lot. Photo credit @laptikhovsky
Annnd another thing! The @ukgovbluebelt has not just been about science - we've also worked to provide vital skills, infrastructure and resources to help Tristan address its needs
On a personal level, I'd just like to try and highlight the huge number of people who've helped make this happen over the years. Some I've mentioned above, but special thanks surely go to @apapayado, @AscensionAdm, @halljonathan4, @kyliebambam
Of course, the work isn't stopping here, and I'm excited to see what the next phase will bring. There's plenty more to and I'm sure @fkilpatricktdc would join me in inviting the research community to get stuck in to Tristan. There's a lot we still don't know!
