Marine reserves - a solution to the destruction of Europe's Seas

There are no boundaries in the ocean. Fish and other marine creatures do not recognise countries' exclusive economic zones or stop at the territorial twelve-mile limits. For this reason, Greenpeace believes we must go beyond national boundaries and look at the oceans as a whole, if protection is to be effective. Not just small parts or specific species and habitats - scientists call it an ecosystem approach. A key tool in implementing this approach is the establishment of networks of large-scale marine reserves that protect not just single species and habitats but the full range of marine habitats and ecosystems. Such networks need to be established at the global, regional and national level.