Villagers at Holy Island have rejoiced after HPMA plan was scrapped, the BBC have reported. The government had been exploring designating the area off the coast of Northumberland a Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA), which would have seen fishing halted. Voicing their relief, campaigners said the news was “still sinking in”. Berwick MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan […]

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Defra has today announced that the Government will designate the first three Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in English waters. The three sites being taken forward are Allonby Bay (Irish Sea), Dolphin Head (Eastern Channel) and North East of Farnes Deep (Northern North Sea). The Government consulted on five pilot sites last year, receiving over 900 responses. […]

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A fishing ban at Lindisfarne has been opposed by councillors, with claims by one it would turn it “into a museum”, the BBC has reported. The government is exploring creating a Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA) which would see commercial and recreational fishing halted.   Conservative-led Northumberland County Council heard this week such a move would “devastate” the […]

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