8. juuli 2026

Eestis luuakse majandusvööndisse esimesed merekaitsealad

Estonia to establish first marine protected areas in economic zone

Keskkonnaameti ette valmistatud määruse järgi luuakse kaks uut . Need on Kolgi madalik Saaremaa lähedal ja Irbe madalik Sõrve poolsaarest edelas.

Need on esimesed d Eesti is. Need luuakse, et kaitsta , kalu ja linde. Lindude puhul kaitstakse nende talvitus-, toitumis- ja rändealasid.

Kolgi ja Irbe alad on väga tähtsad elupaikade kaitseks. Kolgil on üle 25% ja Irbel ligi 15% Eesti i dest. Mõlemad alad on Eesti .

Ka linde kaitstakse. Näiteks järvekaur, punakurk-kaur, väikekajakas ja aul. Irbe ala kaitseb ka mustvaerasid ja võldasi.

Kaitsealal on lubatud inimesed, ujuvvahendid, ja . Keelatud on , ehitamine, loodusvarade kasutamine ja . Keskkonnaamet ütleb, et need piirangud on vajalikud elupaikade kaitseks.

Tartu Ülikooli Eesti Mereinstituut tegi ettepaneku kaitsealade loomiseks 2020. aastal. Määruse eelnõu avalikult esitati kevadel. Riigiasutused, kohalikud omavalitsused ja huvirühmad said selle kohta arvamusi anda.

Kolgi ja Irbe kaitsealad aitavad Eestil suurendada kaitstavate merealade osakaalu. Euroopa Liidu järgi peab 2030. aastaks olema kaitse all vähemalt 30% merealastest. Hetkel on Eestis 27,6% merealast kaitse all.

Eesti on seatud eesmärk kaitsta 30% merealast. Uued kaitsealad on selle eesmärgi täitmisel olulised. Samuti on need piiritletud nii, et need ei takista laevaliiklust ega meretuuleenergia eesmärke.

According to the regulation prepared by the Environmental Board, two new nature reserves will be established. These are the Kolga shallow near Saaremaa and the Irbe shallow southwest of the Sõrve peninsula.

These are the first nature reserves in Estonia's economic zone. They are being created to protect reefs, fish, and birds. For birds, their wintering, feeding, and migration areas will be protected.

The Kolga and Irbe areas are very important for protecting reef habitats. Kolga has over 25% and Irbe nearly 15% of Estonia's economic zone reefs. Both areas are the most species-rich regions of Estonia's open sea.

Birds will also be protected. For example, the red-throated diver, black-throated diver, little gull, and razorbill. The Irbe area also protects black guillemots and common eiders.

People, floating means, public events, and fishing are allowed in the protected areas. Economic activity, construction, use of natural resources, and hunting are prohibited. The Environmental Board says these restrictions are necessary to protect habitats.

The Estonian Marine Institute of the University of Tartu proposed the creation of protected areas in 2020. The draft regulation was publicly presented in spring. Government agencies, local governments, and interest groups were able to give their opinions on it.

The Kolga and Irbe protected areas will help Estonia increase the share of protected marine areas. According to the EU Biodiversity Strategy, at least 30% of marine areas must be protected by 2030. Currently, 27.6% of Estonia's marine areas are protected.

Estonia has set a goal to protect 30% of marine areas. The new protected areas are important for achieving this goal. They are also delineated in such a way as not to hinder shipping or offshore wind energy objectives.