S.Georgia : South Georgia Commissioner Signs Ordinance to Safeguard the Islandfs Wildlife and Protected Areas
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 01.06.2011 (Article Archived on 15.06.2011)
His Honour the Civil Commissioner of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands signs an ordinance to safeguard the Islands' wildlife and protected areas as Darren Christie, Environment Officer on Invasive Species looks on.
Photo (c) J. Brock (sartma)
By J. Brock (SARTMA)
His Honour the Civil Commissioner of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands signs an ordinance to safeguard the Islands' wildlife and protected areas as Darren Christie, Environment Officer on Invasive Species looks on.
On Tuesday the Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Mr Nigel Hayward signed an ordinance to safeguard the Islandsf wildlife and protected areas in the conference room at Government House. gThe enactment of the Wildlife and Protected Areas Ordinance (2011) is a significant moment for a territory that is home to some of the highest densities of wildlife on Earth,h said the official Press release.
At 1500hrs on Tuesday, 31 May 2011 the press were invited to witness the Commissionerfs signature.
The Commissioner said that the Ordinance replaced legislation which was, in some instances, nearly 100 years old, and provides for the protection of wildlife and habitats on land and at sea. He thanked David Lang QC for help in drafting the Ordinance.
The legislation includes: Protection for native species and habitats, Prohibition of inhumane methods of capturing or killing animals, Prohibition of possession or transport of live or dead wildlife Powers to designate and manage Specially Protected Species and Habitats, Specially Protected Areas and Marine Protected Areas.
Providing a legal framework, the Ordinance is modern, fit for purpose and addresses some of the most pressing issues that face the territory today in a rapidly warming world. It also puts measures in place to protect against invasive non--]native species that threaten the natural environment, and bolsters our existing policies which have made great strides in preventing non--]native species being released into the environment.
Maintaining access to the territory for visitors without threatening South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islandfs precious environments was one of the most difficult aspects of developing this legislation. Also, the legislation was influenced following a stakeholder consultation, which provided feedback from the Territoryfs diverse group of users and interested individuals. This was In line with the Governmentfs commitment under the Environment Charter to consult on matters pertaining to the environment.
In congratulating the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) for making the development of nature protection legislation a high priority, Clare Stringer, International Officer for Overseas Territories, for The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said:
"South Georgia holds some of the most amazing wildlife on UK Territory.h She went on to say that gImplementing this new ordinance will support the continued restoration and protection of its superb natural values, and we hope other Overseas Territories will follow this example."
Before signing the ordinance the Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Nigel Haywood said:
gThis is a major step forward in protecting the islandfs native wildlife and habitats, and demonstrates our commitment to the continued good governance and responsible stewardship of the Territory. The Wildlife and Protected Areas Ordinance addresses some of the most pressing issues that the Government faces in a rapidly changing world.h
The legislative drafting has not finished and will be quickly followed by subsidiary legislation to declare the first Specially Protected and Marine Protected areas in the Territory. Dr Martin Collins, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Fisheries said:
gMarine Protected Areas (MPAs) are an important and effective tool in our management of the marine environment, enabling the conservation of marine biodiversity and the maintenance of regional productivity. Although large areas around South Georgia are already protected by our fisheries policies, none of this protection is enshrined in law. The ability to declare MPAs will afford the unique marine environment of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands considerably greater protection.h
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