Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

232 Chapter 9: The Marine Environment Measures implemented through the Water Action Plan will be the primary response to addressing the increasing nutrient enrichment issues in our estuarine waters. In particular, the agricultural measures (see Chapters 8 and 10) will help to reduce the inputs of nutrients into the marine environment. In addition, the catchment-based approach to managing water resources and dealing with water quality issues is well established in Ireland and should assist in addressing nutrient issues (DHLGH, 2024a). The EU Nature Restoration Law (Regulation (EU) 2024/1991) will set legally binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems and prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters. The law entered into force in August 2024 and will require all Member States to produce a national restoration plan within 2 years of adoption (NPWS, 2024). In 2023, Ireland brought in the Sea Pollution (Ballast Water Management Convention) Regulations (S.I. No. 188/2023) to give effect to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention). Under the regulations, all ships are now required to manage their ballast water and sediments to agreed standards. The regulations apply to all Irish ships and to foreign-flagged ships under port state control. Rockpool containing Cystoseria While the development of nature-based solutions has been tested to a limited degree in Ireland (e.g. Devaney and Perrin, 2015; Cott et al. , 2021; Farrell et al. , 2023), there is still much to be understood to ensure that the potential co-benefits in terms of increased biodiversity, reduced eutrophication and climate change mitigation are maximised. Work is ongoing at the OSPAR level to collate best practice examples from across the North- East Atlantic and see how different countries can work together to achieve the best outcomes (OSPAR, 2021b).