The joint effort takes aim at practices that damage marine ecosystems, often within supposedly protected areas.
Launched earlier this month, the MPA Coalition’s first effort is following up complaints filed with the European Commission against Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, and Spain. Issues raised were primarily linked to national authorities continuing to allow bottom trading and other activities which can irreversibly damage the underwater environment.
Despite lodging concerns in 2025, the organisations involved — led by the Blue Marine Foundation — argue that destructive practices are ongoing, amounting to a fundamental lack of protection for areas that are, on paper, subject to strict protections.
The 11-strong collective is now calling on lawmakers to strengthen accountability and accelerate the implementation of environmental legislation based on the scientific evidence. This is happening as the European Commission is evaluating its Birds and Habitats Directives, with campaigners arguing that updating these rules, and then actively enforcing them, will help deliver more comprehensive protection for marine habitats.
‘By connecting national legal action into a single, coordinated European strategy, the Coalition is building a wave of accountability that no government can ignore,’ said a spokesperson for the MPA Legal Coalition. ‘The MPA Legal Coalition exists to ensure that Europe’s protected seas are protected in practice, not just on paper.’
Last week, Environment Journal reported on an analysis of marine conservation in the UK, which found red tape and high fees were leaving marine conservation efforts in Britain hamstrung.
You can find a full list of the MPA Legal Coalition’s ‘battlegrounds’ — which run across Western Europe — here.
Image: Keith Luke / Unsplash
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