Protecting the Marine Environment

“The Blue Half,” SPNI’s marine environment initiative, incorporates a number of different projects to promote the protection of Israel’s maritime territory—which covers the same area as its land territory. The initiative includes conducting workshops for planning officials and policymakers, lobbying, public advocacy, legal action, and field activities through the Sea Watch app.

In 2019, we made significant progress in protecting the Mediterranean Sea via marine nature reserves. In September 2019, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon signed a declaration to establish the Rosh Hanikra Achziv Marine Nature Reserve. Around 100,000 dunams in size, the reserve extends from the Israel-Lebanon border in the north to the southern border of the Achziv national park, and another 15 km westwards from the eastern shore. The purpose of the marine nature reserve is to protect local fauna and flora and also Achziv Canyon, a unique underwater rift incorporating a rare combination of diverse morphological structures and a wide range of aquatic habitats.

SPNI played a significant role in the fight to obtain approval for the reserve. We were also instrumental in the fight to ban fishing in the reserve, where we fought against a petition filed by a group of fishermen who had requested to fish in the reserve. The court ultimately rejected the petition.

In September 2019, the Haifa Planning District Committee gave the green light on plans for a marine nature reserve in Rosh HaCarmel, during an appeal and objections process in which SPNI countered fisheries’ arguments and emphasized the importance of maintaining the area as a nature reserve free of fishing. The marine reserve plan covers an area of around 50,000 dunams in Rosh HaCarmel, which is the underwater extension of the Mount Carmel cape that juts into the sea to the west of Haifa. We invite you to join Dror Keren on a dive into the blue at HaCarmel. Plans to establish the Avteach Marine Nature Reserve alongside the Nitzanim Sands Nature Reserve are also being advanced.

The Israel Planning Administration (IPA) has accepted a proposal drafted by SPNI and the University of Haifa regarding Israel’s exclusive economic zone in its marine spaces. In late December, the IPA recommended that the first deep-sea marine nature reserve be given the go-ahead in the area known as the Palmachim Disturbance, which is home to deep sea corals and unique methane springs. Since the legal infrastructure in the exclusive economic zone is not yet in place, SPNI will now take various steps to advance plans for the deep-sea nature reserve.

The Mediterranean Sea Policy Document

In December, the governmental Committee for the Protection of the Coastal Environment adopted a policy document for the Mediterranean Sea area, which SPNI was heavily involved in drafting. The Committee determined that 8.6% of sovereign waters would be fishing-free nature reserves, and that additional areas would be entitled to a lesser degree of protection. We lobbied to increase the level of protection granted to marine areas, so that up to 20% would be designated as marine nature reserves where fishing and other harmful activities would not be permitted.

The Committee for the Protection of the Coastal Environment also determined that the committee responsible for maritime planning would be part of a balanced and controlled planning mechanism rather than an overriding committee, as was decided in the IPA’s original proposal. In this case, too, we were heavily involved in pushing forward a balanced plan for Israeli sovereign waters, and we also represented environmental organizations and the public before planning and management officials.

The Exclusive Economic Zone: The Maritime and Gas Drilling Law

The Ministry of Energy recently granted a natural gas exploration permit within “Block D,” which lies in a zone that includes the Palmachim Disturbance, an ecologically sensitive area with deep-sea corals and methane springs that is also a breeding ground for bluefin tuna.

We are working with the Ministry of Energy to ensure that this ecologically sensitive area will remain outside of the drilling and exploration zone, and that seismic surveys, which can potentially damage sensitive marine life, will not be permitted.

The proposed wording of the Bill relating to Maritime Areas and Gas Drilling, which regulates state laws in the Mediterranean Sea Exclusive Economic Zone, in particular those concerning oil and gas exploration and production, does not confer appropriate status on the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Instead, the Bill leaves the entire decision-making process solely in the hands of the Ministry of Energy, which has an overt interest in development. This is a dangerous and unbalanced situation.

The Mediterranean Sea is the most important source of drinking water for the Israeli public, as well as being a source of food (fish) and of carbon absorption, which mitigates climate change. Moreover, the Mediterranean is also home to dolphins, sea turtles, rare tuna, and thousands of other species.

Unfortunately, accidents and disasters during gas and oil drilling are not remote possibilities but definite occurrences — small spillages and accidents happen all the time in the Mediterranean—we simply do not hear about them because no one is monitoring them.

It is the duty of the Minister of Environmental Protection to monitor environmental planning and implementation processes, and to represent both the public and nature against the selfish interests of energy companies. The Bill relating to Maritime Areas is currently on hold because of Israel’s current political situation; as soon as the Knesset Committees resume their work, we will resume our call for the Economics Committee to amend the Bill relating to Maritime Areas as follows:

The establishment of a Strategic Planning Committee (a Maritime Areas Planning Committee for the Exclusive Economic Zone) attended by a representative from the environmental organizations, to maintain a balance between development and conservation in decision-making while maintaining public transparency.
An effective separation between the licensing process for oil and gas drilling facilities, which shall be carried out by the Ministry of Energy, and environmental control, which shall be carried out by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The Ministry of Environmental Protection shall enjoy equal rights and independent status in decisions regarding the approval of energy exploration and drilling in the Exclusive Economic Zone with the right to a veto in cases where there is severe environmental risk.
Compliance with transparency and permission for public opposition during drilling approval processes.
A definition of marine nature reserves shall be included in the Bill relating to Maritime Areas in order to protect natural areas that require strict conservation.

Fishing Reforms

In January 2017, comprehensive fishing reforms entered into force in Israel. For the first three years, some of the new regulations were implemented in a more lenient form, to give fisheries time to adjust. In January 2020, the reforms will enter into force in full. Below are the main achievements of the reforms, the impact of which has already been felt during the past three years:

Ending Destructive Fishing Practices

The reforms have put a stop to trawl fishing in certain sensitive areas comprising a third of the Israeli Mediterranean, with the help of a fund of approximately 20 million NIS provided by the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority. Monies from this fund have been used to compensate trawl fisheries from the north of Israel (the Kishon river) and will enable the closure of the northern third of the Israeli Mediterranean Sea to trawl fishing, and also prevent trawling in shallow waters and rocky areas across Israel.

As part of our efforts to complete fishing reforms and promote marine nature reserves, we have published a detailed review of the environmental and economic damage caused by fishing.

Recently, following the adoption by the Committee for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Maritime Areas Plan—and also thanks to our work—a decision was taken to completely stop trawl fishing in Israel.

In the coming years, we will continue to push for this decision to be implemented until all trawl fishing has ended and this devastating fishing method has been banned in Israel.

Preventing Scuba Spearfishing

Scuba spearfishing during the breeding and gathering seasons has been completely stopped, except for shore fishing, and a daily quota for sport fishermen has been established.

The minimum length allowed for dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) catch known locally as Lokus fish has been increased.

Protecting Endangered Species

In December 2019, the Minister of Environmental Protection, Zeev Elkin, signed an addendum to the protected species list, which had not been updated for a decade. The list includes hundreds of plants and animals, and species of freshwater fish have now been included for the first time. The newly added species are not being actively fished and are not under any immediate threat. However, two species that are being actively fished—the dusky grouper and the bluefin tuna—have not been included on the protected species list after pressure from the fishing industry. As far as we are concerned, this is not the end of the matter, and we will continue to do all we can to protect the dusky grouper and bluefin tuna through the law.

Monitoring and Responding to Maritime Hazards—Together

This year, Sea Watch--our real-time Mediterranean Sea hazards reporting app--was joined by a new app, which reports on hazards in the Red Sea.

About a week after the launch of the Red Sea app, a hazard had already been cleaned up from the waters to the north of the Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline docking station. A member of the public who was diving in the area had come across a large pane of glass that had apparently been deliberately knocked out by some people who had climbed onto the docking station. The pane had fallen into the sea and was lying on a bed of young, soft corals. A hazard report was sent directly to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, and Parks Authority inspector Omri Omesi was able to remove the pane from the water the very next day.

Since the launch of the app, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority has removed around 15 ghost nets from the Red Sea, thanks to reports from members of the public via the app.

Upgrading Enforcement

In mid-2018, responsibility for fisheries enforcement was transferred to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, with four dedicated marine teams. This move will ensure proper enforcement of the regulations that were agreed by the Knesset. The authority to prosecute will remain with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. To date, there have been hundreds (!) of enforcements, hundreds of case files opened, and hundreds of fines imposed for illegal fishing.

As part of the collaboration between Sea Watch and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority’s maritime department, tens of enforcement cases have been successfully filed against illegal fishing, as a result of reports made by members of the public via the app. The app works in partnership with Mediterranean Sea enforcement agencies. The reports, including full details of each incident, are transferred directly to fisheries enforcement personnel via SMS and email.

The Rosh HaCarmel Sea Community

Over the last two years, SPNI and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority have teamed up with sea conservationists and friends of the ocean in Haifa to establish a local sea community, a group of civilians who aim to raise public awareness of marine conservation and transform Shikmona into a thriving marine nature reserve. Over 100 activists have joined the community, most of them from Haifa and the surrounding area. The community is headquartered in SPNI’s Haifa community center and is part of the Mediterranean People coalition.

Members of the community took part in a fascinating training program run by leading Israeli marine conservationists and scientists. They learned about marine ecology, archaeology, fisheries enforcement, marine waste, marine reserves, and citizen science. They also enjoyed tours of the nature reserve and a visit to the sea turtle center.

To date, the Sea Community has been involved in a number of nature conservation activities, including taking protected sea daffodils from an area of roadworks on Hubert Humphrey Street and replanting them in the National Park; working with the Israel Oceanological and Limnological Research institute to monitor algae on the rocky beach in the nature reserve; and promoting advocacy and educational activities.

We believe that the best way to protect marine nature is by establishing, enforcing, and managing marine nature reserves. Currently, only the Rosh HaNikra marine nature reserve is effectively protected. We will continue to push for large marine reserves that will help us to protect entire ecosystems and large marine fauna with wide-ranging habitats.

Protecting Israel’s Beaches

This year’s biggest beach protection win was the decision by the Regional Committee for Planning and Construction for the Northern District to completely abolish plans to build a holiday resort on Betzet beach. We teamed up with local residents and other environmental organizations in the fight to stop this destructive plan, a bitter struggle that began at the start of the 1980s and that has raged on for almost three decades.

Betzet’s sandy beach is the only breeding ground for severely endangered brown and green sea turtles. In recent decades, we have made considerable efforts to protect their beach breeding grounds. An island of open space, Betzet beach is of great ecological importance because it has been kept free of development—and that is how it must stay. The development of an urban hotel complex on this beach would devastate local wildlife and the natural landscape and would also infringe the rights of tens of thousands of people—local residents and all Israelis--to an open, natural, universally-accessible beach. Israel’s beaches have shrunk to such an extent that they are now a rare commodity. They must remain open to the public and be kept as free as possible from development.

Help Us Protect Israel’s Beaches!

This year, our Shikmim field school held a number of important nature conservation events to raise public awareness. Around 5,000 people took part in the traditional sands march in the Holot Nitsanim reserve, where they learned about this important sand dune habitat and why we need to protect it. We held a large event to protect the Yavneh sand dunes, and another at the Nes Tziona Nature Reserve to protect its unique kurkar (eolianite) and flora.

The Hadera SPNI community held an event at the Hadera River Park to raise public awareness about the sharks living in the Hadera River estuary. The members of the public who attended the event visited our information booths where they learned about various issues, including the damage caused by disposable plastics. The event also featured a livestream video, filmed from a hovercraft, of schools of sharks swimming in the nearby sea.

Some 400 students from Zichron Ya’akov joined in a cleanup day at Ma’ayan Tzvi beach, where they got involved with experiments and learned how plastic pollutes our seas and wildlife.

The major beach protection challenge that we currently face is how to prevent the IPA from moving forward with its scheme to build six new marinas. The IPA’s national master plan for these marinas threatens to completely destroy public beaches in Nahariya, Haifa, Hadera, Netanya, Tel Aviv, and Bat Yam. In a small and overcrowded country like Israel, it is vital that our public beaches—which are already limited--are not destroyed or closed to build new marinas.