Over the past few decades, Skomer Island off the south coast of Wales has witnessed a remarkable resurgence in its guillemot population. Before 1930, Skomer was home to over 100,000 common guillemots. But by the end of the second world war, this number had plummeted by about 95% and continued to decline for the next […]
The UK Government and the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) have announced a joint commitment to undertake future oil and gas licensing rounds, with at least 100 new licenses and possibly many more expected to be awarded from autumn. This includes the possibility that licences could also be offered near to currently licensed areas where […]
In December 2022 at a Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity, the UK Government joined the international commitment to protecting 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 (the ‘30 by 30’ target). Progress towards this target has been examined by the House of Lords Environment and Climate Committee and their […]
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is an independent judicial body established by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The tribunal has jurisdiction over any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the convention and certain legal questions requested of it. The answers to these questions are known as […]
A vital system of ocean currents that governs weather patterns across the northern hemisphere could collapse by the middle of the century and potentially as early as two years’ time, according to a study warning that the ocean climate system is close to an irreversible tipping point. But other researchers have doubts about the accuracy […]
A report published by the Marine Conservation Society has calculated the cost-benefit of banning bottom-contact fishing from the UK’s offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) designated to protect seabed features. The analysis shows that initially, costs outweigh the economic gains of banning bottom-contact fishing gear. Costs include the loss of earnings by fishers, and the setting […]
The marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) programme is a science innovation and transformation programme, which spans across land and water environments. It has been set up to collect data on the extent, condition and change over time of England’s ecosystems and natural capital, and the benefits to society. The following outputs from the […]
Under future climate change, modification of temperature and salinity are expected to result in distribution shifts of marine organisms, including commercial fish and shellfish. Changes are anticipated everywhere, including in the seas of many important fishing nations. Species turnover will in turn result in both opportunities and threats to fishing industries. To determine the impacts […]