The urgent plight of our UK marine population is highlighted by Erin Murton of the Wildlife Trust for Berks, Bucks and Oxfordshire, who asks for the public’s help

Last month’s Budget included the very welcome news that more than 834,000 sq km of South Pacific Ocean surrounding the Pitcairn Islands will be protected as the largest ever, continuous marine reserve in the world.

Pitcairn Islands is a UK Overseas Territory in the South Pacific, home to a rich variety of marine wildlife from humpback whales and sea turtles, to vast coral reefs and over 360 species of fish.

This designation secures the future of some of the world’s most pristine and wildlife rich marine environments as a fully protected marine reserve, while traditional sustenance fishing by islanders is allowed.

It means a vast area – more than twice the land of the British Isles – will be off-limits for all forms of commercial activity, including fishing, mining of oil, gas, and mineral resources.

The ability to monitor such a large area is no small task and was a major consideration when planning the Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve.

The solution lies right here in Oxfordshire. Project Eyes on the Seas has been set up by Satellite Applications Catapult in Harwell, to monitor boat movements in the Pitcairn area. Using specialist software, the team in a virtual watchroom in Harwell is able to detect unlicensed and illegal fishing.

But what about UK sea life? The designation of the ocean around Pitcairn, as well as a marine reserve around the UK Overseas Territory of Chagos in 2010, has shown the world the UK takes marine conservation very seriously.

However, if the Government wants to maintain this example, we need to see similar ambition to protect the waters around Britain.

Unlike the massive scale of the Pitcairn reserve, proposals here are to establish a network of small protected ‘pockets’, to function like a larger reserve and thus help to protect our marine ecosystems.

Two years of scientific research, consultation and stakeholder discussions produced a list of more than 120 sites that were the minimum requirement for securing a functioning marine network around England and Wales.

Together, these sites would help to ensure recovery and conservation of our vast and varied marine life, from cold water corals to commercial fish stocks and seabird colonies.

Individually, these sites are far too small to make a difference to the future of our seas. Together, they form an ecological network to help protect and restore our degraded marine environment.

In 2013, the Government designated 27 of these areas, known as Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). They were a vital first step, but the designation of the remaining identified sites is just as important.

The Government is asking the UK public to respond to its consultation on the designation of 23 more MCZs.

Those 23 MCZs are a significant drop in what was expected; 14 sites have been permanently dropped, usually for economic reasons, or postponed for an unknown period.

This seems short-sighted, as some are in urgent need of protection. If we want our fish stocks to recover, we need to protect their habitats.

It is vital we urge the next Government to establish a full and functioning network of MCZs and ensure they are monitored and protected for generations to come.

Find out more about Living Seas and how to give your views, by visiting wildlifetrusts.org/living-seas