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The Cirkewwa Voluntary Marine Reserve

By Antonio Anastasi

When in 1985, I, together with George Vella and Tony Lautier  started the first Marine Conservation Society to promote the banning of spearfishing with aqualungs and the creations of marine sanctuaries, we were supported by many UK divers. Also giving us a lot of input were the MCS of the UK. One of the things they had mentioned was the efforts that were being made at St.Abbs in Scotland to make this a Voluntary Marine Reserve (VMR).

During the past 26 years I had often listened to visiting divers about the merits of diving there as well as read many features about St.Abbs. So it was no surprise that at a moment of frustration at governmental red tape this VMR of 26 years popped into my mind like a blinding light.

http://www.marine-reserve.co.uk/

To gain more grass root support the DECLARE CIRKEWWA A MARINE SANCTUARY NOW group on Facebook, asked and received positive and generous support from the local diving clubs that between them represent some 4000 local and expat divers. These clubs are ATLAM, BSAC Calypso, Amphibians as well as those others represented by the Federation of Underwater Activities (FUA).

Realizing that  it is going to take at least a couple of years for Cirkewwa to have a legal standing as a Marine Protected Area (MPA)

I sat down with the representatives of the local diving clubs and we agreed that the best way  forward was to take steps and follow through on the example of the St.Abbs VMR and  declare Cirkewwa a VMR. We contacted Lawson Woods who is a founding member of the  St.Abbs VMR, and since then we have their moral support as well as advise on how to go about things. read more...