Calls for Guernsey wetland to become Ramsar site
February 8, 2026
Calls for wetland to become protected site
BBCCalls have been made for a rocky bay in Guernsey to be designated a Ramsar site to further protect the wetland.
According to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance.
The States of Guernsey said it was “too early” to decide if its Marine Spatial Plan would involve designating further areas under the Ramsar Convention, including Belle Greve.
Trevor Bourgaize, La Société Guernesiaise, said he thought designating Belle Greve as a Ramsar site would be a “fantastic move” due to it having a “rich environment”.
Bourgaize said Belle Greve has more eel grass beds, kelp beds, was good for wading birds and had a small population of scaly crickets.
He said: “So I think adding that to the Ramsar site, so you’ve got the Hump, Herm, Jethou and Belle Greve Bay, is the way forward.”
He added it was a decision for the States of Guernsey which was doing a lot of work on marine protected zones which was “very welcome”.
“I think marine zones are probably more protected on the west coast than they are on the east coast because it’s just so easy to reclaim a bit more with inert waste, but I think logically Belle Greve should be part of the Ramsar site,” he said.
‘Understanding the marine environment’
Deputy Sally Rochester, vice-president of the committee for the environment and infrastructure, said: “We’re moving ahead with developing a Marine Spatial Plan for Guernsey’s territorial waters.
“This will help us to understand how the marine environment can be used both now and in the longer term, in a sustainable and coordinated way.”
She said this would help Guernsey make informed decisions about future marine activities, including the potential identification of areas of significant biodiversity importance.
She added: “It’s too early to say whether this work will involve designating further areas under the Ramsar Convention, or indeed any other environmental protections.
“If there are any proposed areas for conservation, these will be put forward in the draft Marine Spatial Plan which we expect to be published early next year. This will then be subject to consultation and a States debate.”
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