The Daera minister Andrew Muir said the strategy marked an “important milestone” in protecting Northern Ireland’s “outstanding” marine environment, and that it represented a wide range of habitats.
“In Strangford Lough, we have seagrass beds that support overwintering Brent Geese, rocky reefs with kelp forests and a range of species from starfish, anemones and crabs to seals and dolphins,” he said.
“The North Channel is home to the Harbour porpoise, and our north coast, the maerl seaweed beds at Red Bay and rare sponges at Rathlin Island are all fantastic examples of the rich biodiversity that our marine protected areas are helping to safeguard.
“Seagrass, kelp and native oysters are all also examples of blue carbon habitats, that demonstrate the role that the marine can play in meeting our climate targets.”