13 Important Marine Environmental Protection Agencies

On account of ever-increasing threats to the marine ecosystem, there have been established several marine environment protection organisations around the world.

As their name suggests, the main role and responsibility of such marine protection agencies is to ensure that the maritime domain is safeguarded and that all possible measures are taken to prevent its further degradation.

Listed below are 10 international marine protection organisations which have been carrying out their duties, silently yet effectively.

• Helcom :The Helsinki Commission or more commonly known as Helcom is the coming together of nine European countries and the entire community of Europe. With the definite objective of safeguarding the Baltic Sea, the Helcom functions with strong coalition ties between the governments of each of the above mentioned nine parties.

• C-MEPS: C-MEPS is the abbreviation for the Canadian Marine Protection Society. Functioning from the city of Vancouver, the marine ecosystem protection society was established in the year 1993. The Society functions on the principle of educating masses about the state of prevailing marine affairs, thereby ensuring a better awareness among people.

• GESAMP: An abbreviation for the Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection, GESAMP was established in the late 1960s. Its main role is that of an advising council to the United Nations about core environmental issues plaguing the maritime domain.

• AUSMEPA: The Australian Maritime Environment Protection Association is the result of mergence of government authorities, shipping conglomerates and other institutions engaged in maritime activities. Founded in the year 2000, the AUSMEPA carries out educational and aiding activities to ascertain the fulfilling of its intended establishment.

• AMMSA: The African Maritime Safety and Security Agency also has environment protection as its agenda. As per its objectives to provide maritime assistance, the AMMSA undertakes researching and analytical activities to provide safer and better solutions to solve the problems caused due unchecked marine pollution and other maritime activities.

• USEPA: As an environmental protection agency, the USEPA takes action against marine degradation by way of alliances and partnerships with other agencies like the IMO and the United Nation Environment Programme.

• NAMEPA :The North American Marine Environment Protection Agency is a not-for-profit organisation. It fulfils its marine life conservationobjective by providing awareness to the public and by ensuring proactive contribution from shipping corporations, financial institutions and other relevant participants in the business sector.

• SEPA: As a marine protection agency, the Scottish Marine Protection Agency works in close tandem with the Scottish government and ministry officials. Its main duty is that of a monitoring authority to preserve the interests of the marine sector.

• CYMEPA: The Cyprus Marine Environment Protection Association is a non-profit organisation which was formed in the year 1993.The protection agency has been officially vouched by the IMO, WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission) and several other organisations.

• Sea Shepherd: The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization with a mission to end destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s ocean.

• Ø  The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit organization which works towards the future of healthy oceans the supports plants, animals, and people for generations.

• Green Peace: The Green Peace organization works towards several issues pertaining to marine environment. Some of the key issues addressed by the organization are industrial fishing, by catch, unfair fisheries, global warning, and marine pollution.

• United Nation’s Environment Regional Seas Programme: The United Nation’s Regional Seas Program has been formed to address the issue of marine litter. The programme prevents deliberate discarding of marine litter into the sea.

Protection of the maritime area is a responsibility that needs to be undertaken very seriously. Through such marine protection agencies, the responsibility is digressed in various parts of the world, thereby helping to cover a much wider ambit of maritime protection.

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