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Each parish Honorary Police force could have an officer specifically dealing with environmental and wildlife issues, if a proposal from a local marine biologist is taken up.
Nick Jouault, who has long campaigned for greater protection of Jersey’s natural environment, has written to the Comité des Chef de Police – which coordinates the operational side of parish policing – suggesting that each of the 12 forces designates a ‘green’ officer to take responsibility for policing the island’s Wildlife Law.
The law, which came into force last year, protects wild animals, birds and plants in and around Jersey. Dens, nests, breeding grounds and resting sites are also protected from harmful activities, such as bonfires.
The use of certain lethal methods of taking or killing all wildlife is also banned. The law also regulates the possession, control and release of non-native species.
Mr Jouault said: “I have a proposal going to the Comité this month that each parish should have an Honorary Officer whose remit would be to undertake environmental and wildlife issues.
“I think this would not only improve enforcement of the law, but it would also attract people to the honorary police who might not be otherwise interested.”
He added: “The trouble is, at the moment, it isn’t clear who polices the Wildlife Law and it seems to fall between departments and the Law Officers.
“The Marine Resources team obviously cover the fisheries side, but they can’t be everywhere at the same time.
Pictured: Marine biologist Nick Jouault at Les Ecréhous.
“I know in some UK police forces they have designated wildlife officers and the Essex force even has a special team.
“We also have a National Park without any wardens and a Ramsar-designated area, but the protection is really on paper only.”
Mr Jouault said that green issues might be the sole area of responsibility for the designated honorary officer, or it could be a specialism in addition to other policing roles.
“That would be something for the parishes to determine,” he said.
Mr Jouault has also been a long-time supporter of designating Portelet Bay as a no-take zone, something that the Assembly approved this week.
He also has suggested that Archirondel could be the island’s second no-take zone, as it had rich wildlife and was not regularly fished.
Express has asked the Comité des Chef de Police to comment on whether it supported Mr Jouault’s plan.
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