Norway has become the first country in the world to move forward with commercial-scale deep-sea mining. The bill, passed in the Norwegian Parliament, will accelerate the exploration for precious metals which are in high demand for green technologies. Scientists have warned it could be devastating for marine life. Norway’s parliament voted 80–20 in favour of […]
From Ireland’s Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD has announced another significant addition to Ireland’s Natura 2000 network. The new Seas off Wexford Special Protection Area (SPA), which is to be designated under the EU Birds Directive, will cover more than 305,000 […]
Vattenfall has signed an agreement with RWE to divest the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone. The Norfolk Zone consists of three fully consented wind farms – Norfolk Boreas, Norfolk Vanguard West and Norfolk Vanguard East – and is located off the east coast of England. It is one of the largest offshore wind developments in the world, […]
The Scottish Government has published its Marine Science and Innovation Strategy which it says highlights the crucial role of science and innovation in realising the full potential of the marine environment. The Strategy – part of the Scottish Government’s Blue Economy Vision to 2045 – is said to be a blueprint for ministers to utilise the best […]
The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) can make important contributions towards decarbonising the shipping industry and supporting safe, secure and thriving oceans, not least through the critical role that their products and services play in the transition through route optimisation and improved geospatial data. The UKHO also have a wider role as the Primary Charting Authority […]
Every year, around 70,000 turtles and 200,000 seabirds die as a result of being caught as bycatch in EU fishing fleets. Bycatch is when other marine species are unintentionally trapped by commercial fishing gear. This can account for up to 40% of total fishing catches, globally reaching as much as 38 million tonnes discarded per […]
A species of ray, so rare it has only ever been recorded once back in the late 1800s, has been declared extinct. The loss of the Java Stingaree, a small relative of stingrays, is the first marine fish extinction as a result of human activity. The Java Stingaree (Urolophus javanicus) was known only from a […]
The article was originally published by Jennifer Raynor, Assistant Professor of Natural Resource Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Humans are racing to harness the ocean’s vast potential to power global economic growth. Worldwide, ocean-based industries such as fishing, shipping and energy production generate at least US$1.5 trillion in economic activity each year and support 31 million jobs. This value […]