31 Oct 2023
Scotland’s west coast seas are a vitally important area for minke whales – with some of these spectacular but vulnerable marine mammals notching up Europe’s longest sighting histories of almost 30 years, research by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, shows. A newly published digital catalogue bringing together photographic identification records submitted by members of […]
31 Oct 2023
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is now commencing the roll-out phase of inshore vessel monitoring system (I-VMS) devices to under six metre vessels. This phase continues the MMO’s support for all under 12 metre vessels to enable them to meet the requirements to have an I-VMS device once legislation comes into force early 2024. Fishers […]
31 Oct 2023
A major international conference on the Antarctic marine environment has failed to agree on new conservation areas despite hearing evidence the southern continent is facing a range of crises, including historically low sea ice levels, plummeting wildlife numbers and the first cases of bird flu. Longstanding proposals to create nearly 4m sq km of marine […]
31 Oct 2023
Under normal conditions, the floating macroalgae Sargassum spp. provide habitat for hundreds of types of organisms. However, the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) that emerged in 2011 has since then caused unprecedented inundations of this brown seaweed on Caribbean coastlines, with harmful effects on ecosystems while posing challenges to regional economies and tourism, and concerns […]
17 Oct 2023
The UK Government, Welsh Government, Scottish Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for Northern Ireland are seeking views on a proposed ban on the manufacture, supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic. The proposed ban, subject to consultation outcomes, would be applied by individual countries in the UK and be […]
17 Oct 2023
Over 40,000 rare seabirds now call Lundy home, the highest number since the 1930s. Over 80% of the global population of Manx Shearwaters breed on UK islands yet there were only 297 pairs on Lundy in 2001. Puffins were near to extinction on the island and urgent action was needed to make the habitat safer […]
17 Oct 2023
From the Marine Biological Association: Over six million occurrence points of marine species and habitats are now freely available online thanks to the dedication and hard work of citizen scientists, researchers, and data experts from the Marine Biological Association (MBA). The MEDIN accredited Data Archive Centre for Marine Species and Habitats data for the UK (DASSH) based at the MBA […]
17 Oct 2023
A new consultation on rules aimed at reducing illegal discharge of garbage into seas is launched by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Shipowners and operators, in particular, are being encouraged to have their say on laws designed to further support the UK in its work to keep its seas clean by making it compulsory for […]
Prev