13 Jun 2023

The Crown Estate and the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) have announced the launch of a new £3.5m research project. Led by OWIC, it aims to improve the shared understanding of environmental compensation options relating to offshore wind’s interface with nature, and better coordinate the consenting process for offshore wind projects. Subject to contracts, £3m […]

13 Jun 2023

Roger Proudfoot of the Environment Agency answers questions on the organisation’s priorities for restoration and the links to government policy. He is the convener of ReMeMaRe 2023, the UK’s leading coastal and estuarine restoration conference, which is taking place on 11 & 12 July in Scarborough. Can you introduce yourself and your role Roger Proudfoot, […]

06 Jun 2023

Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and Bangor University have placed specialist recording equipment at three locations in the North Anglesey Special Area of Conservation to learn if human made and natural noise affects marine mammals. As part of the Welsh Acoustic Marine Mammal Survey, recordings will be made […]

06 Jun 2023

Australia plans to triple the size of an ecologically important marine park and close off an area larger than Germany to fishing and mining, the government announced Monday, protecting millions of vulnerable seabirds and animals. The remote Macquarie Island Marine Park, located off Australia’s southeastern coast between Tasmania and Antarctica in the Southern Ocean, is set to […]

06 Jun 2023

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), the UK Government’s marine regulator for England, have now published their Studland Bay Voluntary No Anchor Zone: 2022 Review of the effectiveness of the voluntary no anchor zone (VNAZ)  after the first year of it being in place. A Summary of the 2022 review is also available. The MMO has concluded that the voluntary […]

06 Jun 2023

A 15-country study has confirmed that people living near or visiting the seaside enjoy better health. The concept that proximity to the ocean could foster better health isn’t entirely novel. We can trace this idea back to 1660, when English physicians started advocating for sea bathing and coastal strolls as wellness practices. By the mid-19th century, indulging […]

06 Jun 2023

Marine Scotland has published a report entitled “Developing Essential Fish Habitat Maps for fish and shellfish species in Scotland”.  Twenty-nine species and multiple life-stages were reviewed covering marine fish and shellfish of commercial and ecological importance, relevant to offshore wind development areas. Marine Scotland says that the report is “essential to the management of the activities, […]