21 Feb 2023
14 Feb 2023
The seabed’s double-booked
A dispute between BP and Orsted over an area of seabed earmarked for both carbon storage and offshore wind is set to come to a head this year as both approach key milestones. Orsted intends to build its 180-turbine Hornsea Four wind project in an area of sea around 40 miles off the Yorkshire coast, […]
14 Feb 2023
First map of Important Shark and Ray Areas released
The Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) project has released the first electronic atlas of priority areas for sharks, rays, and chimaeras. Sharks and rays are some of the most threatened vertebrates on Earth, and the ISRA project uses the best available science to identify regions across global waters most critical for the long-term survival […]
14 Feb 2023
Minister rejects call for further probe into shellfish deaths
The government will not carry out further investigations into what killed thousands of shellfish off England’s North East and North Yorkshire coast. Since late-2021, thousands of marine life, including crabs, have washed up between Hartlepool and Whitby. We reported last week that the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee wrote to Environment Secretary […]
14 Feb 2023
Marine reserves unlikely to restore marine ecosystems
Protected marine areas are one of the essential tools for the conservation of natural resources affected by human impact —mainly fishing—, but, are they enough to recover the functioning of these systems? A paper published in the ICES Journal of Marine Science highlights the limitations of marine reserves in restoring food webs to their pristine state […]
14 Feb 2023
Dead seals test positive for bird flu in Scotland
Four dead seals have tested positive for bird flu in Scotland, as the number of cases of highly pathogenic avian flu in mammals continues to grow globally with experts warning of “a step-change” in its spread. The largest ever bird flu outbreak had already spilled over into otters and foxes in the UK, with about 70 […]
14 Feb 2023
UK Seafood Fund: Skills and Training round 2 opens for applications
The second round of Skills and Training, part of the £100 million UK Seafood Fund, is now open for applications until 21 April 2023 to support the catching, processing, aquaculture and recreational angling sectors. Between £50,000 to £3 million of grant funding is available to update, equip or build fixed or mobile training facilities. Round […]
14 Feb 2023
Permanent protection for critically endangered flapper skate
The Red Rocks and Longay Marine Protected Area (MPA), in the Inner Sound of Skye will be permanently designated from 9 February 2023, protecting a flapper skate egg-laying site of national importance from various activities. These include certain types of fishing, recreational sea angling, marine deposit sites/waste disposal, aquaculture, marine infrastructure and anchoring, amongst others. […]
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