Greenpeace UK has placed 18 limestone boulders on the seabed in the South West Deeps (East) Marine Conservation Zone with the aim of disrupting industrial fishing. The environmental group dropped the boulders into the ocean about 200 miles (322km) off Cornwall from its ship Arctic Sunrise. It aims to create a barrier making […]
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is consulting on the determination of a marine licence application from Virgin Orbit, proposing to launch a satellite from Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay. Virgin Orbit proposes to conduct a maximum of one launch in 2022 and two launches per year over the next 8 years (January 2023 – December 2030). […]
Four Marine Management Organisation (MMO) byelaws come into force to protect four offshore marine protected areas. These are being introduced under new powers under the Fisheries Act, the first major fisheries legislation in almost 40 years. These new measures will prohibit fishing activities in MPAs where there is evidence that they harm wildlife or damage […]
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has launched a Call for Evidence on the impacts of fishing activity in 13 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). It follows the announcement of Byelaws to prohibit damaging fishing activity in four MPAs last month, including Dogger Bank and the Canyons, which will come into force on 13 June 2022. The MMO are […]
The Marine Management Organisation has released their ‘Marine Planning newsletter Spring 2022 – Updates from the MMO Marine Planning team’ In this issue of the marine planning newsletter, you will find: Marine plans monitoring surveys Explore Marine Plans Annual Report Strategic Renewables Unit (SRU) update Offshore wind expansion Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) position statement Supporting research […]
Chris Grayling, MP, is introducing a Ten Minute Rule Motion entitled ‘Marine Protected Areas (Bottom Trawling)’. We covered previously that a study noted that Brexit may bring some benefits to the environment as it has enabled the UK to reclaim the autonomy to designate offshore marine protected areas. For example, this has enabled a proposal to […]
The Marine Management Organisation is requesting information to support a three-yearly report to Parliament on the impact and effectiveness of marine plans. The monitoring surveys are one method used to provide data on the use of the marine plans and to support understanding of the influence marine plan policies have in the decision-making process. Information […]
Defra have announced £1.4m of funding delivered to projects supporting sustainable fishing and fisheries science across the UK. Eight innovative new projects that will support the UK’s fishing industry to be more productive and sustainable have been awarded a share of £1.4 million. The funding is the first part of the £24 million earmarked from the £100 million […]