Actions & Solutions
Reaching Goal 14 in Ireland will take sustained, integrated and collaborative effort from everyone. Explore actions and solutions tailored to businesses, institutions, schools, communities and YOU!
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10 KEY ACTIONS
Action Posters available for Download below
01
Spread the Word
The more people who know about Goal 14, the more we can achieve together.
02
Stop using Plastic
Plastic in all its forms is a major cause of marine pollution. Refuse to use plastic - don't buy it, don't wear it and don't accept it. Never buy bottled water, bring your own bottle from home.
03
Reduce your Waste
Much of the waste we produce on land ends up in the oceans. Stop using plastic bags: Usage and wrong disposal of plastic is a major cause of marine pollution. Reusable everything is the way.
04
Eat less Seafood
Stop eating species that are already critically overfished like tuna, cod, herring and mackerel. The easiest way to protect these species is to consume less of them.
05
Eat local Seafood
Buy only Irish-caught, local and certified seafood. Support small-scale local fisheries by buying from markets and shops. Most small-scale fishers use low impact practices that are already sustainable.
06
Participate in Clean-ups
Organize a cleanup project or join CleanCoasts and engage your whole community to clean up a local stream, river, seashore or ocean.
07
Become a Citizen Scientist
Join initiatives like the National Biodiversity Data Centre or iNaturalist. Become a citizen scientist by recording biodiversity in your area whenever and wherever you can.
08
Report Pollution, Poaching & Damage
Report pollution, illegal fishing or poaching and unsustainable or harmful practices to the Environmental Protection Agency, Inland Fisheries or the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Accountability is key to eliminating unsustainable practices.
09
Eat less Red Meat & Dairy
Or better yet, stop eating Red Meat all together. Ireland's agriculture produces enough beef and dairy to feed 35 million people. This excessive production is destroying our land, rivers and oceans primarily through agricultural runoff. Work together with farmers to develop shared solutions. Buy only local meat and dairy products from small-scale farmers who use sustainable practices.
10
Advocate for Change
Stay informed. Support projects and charities working towards Goal 14. Climate action is inherently tied to government - use your voice and your VOTE to hold representatives and governments accountable and to advocate for change on a national scale.
GOAL 14
LIFE BELOW WATER
The Sustainable Development Goals, established by the United Nations, are 17 interconnected global goals designed to act as a shared blueprint for the peace and prosperity of the planet and its inhabitants. These goals are actioned upon to create a framework for life that allows Humankind to flourish in unison with nature, without damaging the environment, depleting earth’s natural resources or encroaching on the freedoms of others to better our own.
Sustainable Shores is designed to help put into action, the targets outlined in Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water in an accessible and user-friendly manner. Goal 14 sets out 7 outcome targets and 3 means of achieving targets for humanity to reach by the year 2030.
10 STEPS FOR IRELAND
01
Develop a National Strategy
Develop a comprehensive national strategy for sustainable marine development that aligns with the Goal 14 targets and existing frameworks such as Natura 2000.
02
Get your Ship together, Ireland
Implement, uphold and enforce international laws and standards on sustainable fishing, especially those of the European Commission, United Nations and ICES.
03
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
Increase the total Marine Protected Area to at least 10% of Ireland's marine territory. This should have already been achieved by 2020 as part of the Natura 2000 network. Ensure the 30% by 2030 goal is reached.
04
Sustainable Education
Promote the sustainable use of marine resources through education, training and awareness-raising campaigns, highlighting the economic and social benefits of ocean conservation.
05
Sustainably & fairly manage Fisheries
Restructure existing subsidies (e.g., fuel subsidies) to improve small-scale and island fishery business operations, support individual fishers and protect against loss of income from weather events to reduce the incentive to overfish.
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Implement strict bans on gill nets and significant reductions on bottom trawls. Revise the use of tangle nets.
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Work together with fishers, not against, to implement changes along with sustainable management plans for each exploited stock in Irish waters.
06
Enforce Quotas & Reporting
Enforce scientifically-advised quotas, minimum landing sizes and a penalty system for unsustainable fishing practices. Mandate the scientific reporting of landings on all large commercial fishing vessels (<18m) for all stocks.
07
National Biodiversity Data Centre
The Government of Ireland must establish the NBDC on a statutory basis, secure its funding and enhance its role as Ireland's primary citizen science platform.
08
Make funding Results-Based
Ensure that all incentives, schemes and grants are results-based, supported by monitoring and evaluation. Strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of progress towards achieving SDG14 targets. Evaluate failures and hold responsible parties accountable.
09
Water Framework Directive
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) must be implemented fully and provided adequate resources to do so. Increased accountability, clarity of roles and a results-based focus on improving water quality for aquatic biodiversity is crucial.
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We cannot tolerate the practice of pumping raw sewage directly into our rivers and oceans. Buffer zones must be implemented on all agricultural and industrial lands.
10
Future-Focused
Action can no longer be directed for profit and short-term benefit. We must focus on restoring biodiversity and ecosystems. Ireland must become a future-focused nation for the survival of its economy, its people and its wildlife.