15 Sep 2026
Photo by Mapping what Matters Active and retired skippers and crew across England are being invited to take part in Mapping What Matters, a Defra-led project capturing the cultural and social importance of fishing grounds. Following pilot sessions earlier this year, the project’s national rollout begins with a series of drop-in sessions across the East […]
25 Aug 2026
Photo by Pratik Patil Fishing nets remain the most likely cause of death for common dolphins that strand on the Cornish coast, according to a seven-year post-mortem review that has prompted renewed calls for wider access to acoustic deterrent devices. The study, carried out by the University of Exeter, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and the Cornwall […]
20 Aug 2026
Photo by Tom Wheatley on Unsplash Where are the water company emergency drought plans? The Guardian reports that the UK government is being accused of acting irresponsibly by refusing to publish water companies’ emergency drought plans. Water firms are required to publish statutory drought plans every five years to set out how they will […]
13 Aug 2026
Image description: Panoramic views of Hertfordshire’s rural heartland. The short-cut agricultural grass is yellowed and dry. Image credits: Photo by Jan Kraus on Unsplash 45 million people in England now experiencing drought Drought conditions in England have continued to persist with a dry start to August, putting almost three-quarters of England in drought, affecting […]
04 Aug 2026
Photo by Raul Ling A public consultation has opened on a draft Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for the Irish Sea’s demersal fisheries, setting out proposed measures to rebuild depleted cod and whiting stocks while reviewing how Nephrops, the region’s most valuable catch, is managed in future. A joint plan across three administrations The draft Demersal […]
28 Jul 2026
Photo Credit: AdobeStock Defra has rejected the central recommendations of a cross-party committee report on rebuilding trust with the fishing industry, including calls for a Sea Use Framework and new regional forums giving fishers a formal role in policy. The rejection came in the government’s formal response to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs […]
21 Jul 2026
Photo Credit: AdobeStock The most comprehensive UK-wide assessment yet of where and how sensitive marine species are being accidentally caught in fishing gear has been published by Clean Catch, the Defra-funded bycatch mitigation programme. The literature review and a shorter policy brief identify four broad hotspot fisheries in UK waters, set out the species most at risk in each, […]
06 Jul 2026
Photo credit: Nick Fewings The Marine Management Organisation has approved more than £1 million through the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme since it reopened in April and is now encouraging smaller operators to come forward. The scheme reopened on 13 April and is run by the MMO on behalf of Defra, drawing on more than £132 […]
