A new byelaw protecting an area of almost 4000 square km of seas from damaging fishing activity is now in force in English waters. The byelaw prohibits the use of bottom towed gear in specific areas within 13 English offshore MPAs that contain valuable reef and rocky habitats. The implementation of the byelaw comes days […]
The UK’s marine protected areas (MPAs) were exposed to over 33,000 hours of suspected bottom trawling in 2023, according to new analysis from Oceana UK. The environment group used analysis of satellite data from Global Fishing Watch to show that over 100,000 hours of apparent industrial fishing took place within the UK’s offshore MPAs in 2023 […]
A new report published by Seas At Risk and Oceana shows that bottom trawling can be largely replaced in the EU by less aggressive fishing gears. The NGOs say that switching to readily available alternatives to bottom trawling offers multiple benefits, such as dramatically improving fisheries resources, protecting the seabed and marine habitats […]
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 […]
For World Oceans Day, Greenpeace UK launched “Operation Ocean Witness” and is urging the UK government to “get ocean protection done”. A six month operation, involving new Greenpeace ship Sea Beaver, will patrol the UK’s protected areas off the south coast of England and “do what the government has so far failed to do” – […]
Oceana, New Report 10 Actions ‘These are turbulent times. One million species are at risk of extinction and the ecosystems supporting our lives are on the verge of breaking down¹; we are embroiled in the worst pandemic the world has experienced for 100 years; and climate change impacts are already biting with unprecedented heating, ice […]
Guardian – Greenpeace ‘More than 97% of British marine protected areas, created to safeguard ocean habitats, are being dredged and bottom trawled, according to data shared with the Guardian. Nearly a quarter of the UK’s territorial waters are covered by MPAs, set up to protect vital ecosystems and species, including harbour porpoises and dolphins. This […]
Environmental NGOs Oceana, Seas At Risk and WWF have urged the European Commission to be rigorous in its assessment of member states’ performance on protecting their oceans, and on member states to fulfil their obligations to protect those areas that are home to Europe’s most threatened marine life. The call comes ahead of this week’s […]