Although the first marine reserve was created in the Bahamas in 1958, the rate of uptake has been slow, with less than 0.5% of the oceans being protected. Australia lead the way with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park which covers an area greater than the UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands combined, of which 33% is highly protected.

In Canada a network of No take Marine reserves has been developed and in New Zealand 7% of seas are highly protected, with an the aim is to increase this to 10% by 2010. In South Africa 19% of the seas are protected from fishing and other industries, but this is soon expected to rise to 20% . Marine Reserves allow fish to grow older and larger, these female fish produce significantly more eggs than first time spawners, for example in the US lingcod produced 20 times more eggs than fish in adjacent unprotected areas.

Ask your MP to support the Marine Reserves Campaign.