marine plastic pollution ANCORS
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Marine Environmental Protection

Protection of the marine environment is a core concern for ANCORS. For centuries the scale of the world’s oceans has lulled us into a false sense of security. They have been seen as a limitless source of food, a vast dumping ground for waste, and an open venue for shipping, military activities, research, mineral resource exploitation, fishing, scientific research and more. The limits to the capacity of the marine environment to absorb the adverse impact of these many demands are increasingly apparent.

The Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC) recognises an overarching duty of States to protect and preserve the marine environment within and beyond national jurisdiction. Since the time of its adoption, international principles and guidelines for protection and preservation of the marine environment have developed exponentially.  They include principles of sustainable development, the precautionary principle, inter-generational equity and an ecosystems approach to conservation and management.

ANCORS expertise includes:

  • the development and implementation of marine protected areas,
  • marine spatial planning,
  • marine plastic debris and the circular economy,
  • international shipping and marine pollution,
  • locally managed marine areas (LMMA),
  • the development of integrated approaches to ocean management and conservation,
  • surveillance and enforcement for marine conservation and
  • the development of marine conservation policies.

ANCORS staff are currently engaged in projects to develop appropriate legal and policy frameworks for maintaining blue carbon elements and enhancing sustainable development opportunities for investment in marine and coastal ecosystems. ANCORS has particular expertise in climate change and the oceans, and the evolving international framework for conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. ANCORS staff are also engaged in projects for improving the efficacy of marine conservation through the development of multi-lateral frameworks for the equitable distribution of conservation burdens in trans-boundary fisheries.