Anja Murray: What's the delay with the Marine Protected Areas bill?

A recent major study revealed that globally, seabirds have declined overall by 70% in the last 50 years and are currently one of the most threatened groups of birds in the world — so delays in publishing the long-awaited Marine Protected Areas bill are alarming

Supporters during a rally led by Fair Seas outside Leinster House, Dublin highlighting a lack of progress on the vital Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Bill. The coalition of Ireland’s leading environmental non-governmental organisations (eNGOs) and environmental networks are determined to make its voice heard as the clock ticks down to the end of this Dáil, and was assisted by a collection of volunteers dressed as  sea creatures. Picture: Gareth Chaney

Being a terrestrial species, its hard for us to fathom how it might be to live almost entirely from the sea. Withstanding storms without places to shelter, navigating vast expanses of open water, and diving into cold depths throughout each day — the lives of our seabirds are not something we readily relate to. Despite our affection for puffins, the poster child of Ireland's seabird colonies, we still don’t pay much attention when the future of their existence is threatened.

A new pan-European report published recently has found that diminishing fish stocks are making survival ever more challenging for puffins, gannets, razorbills, manx shearwaters, fulmars and all terns, among others.