11 Oct 2022

A new research paper published in the ICES Journal of Marine Science has been released. Entitled ‘Large-scale historic habitat loss in estuaries and its implications for commercial and recreational fin fisheries’, the paper summarised estuarine habitat use for twelve economically important finfish in the UK, of which seven were found to utilise estuarine habitats.   […]

11 Oct 2022

The Irish Sea Network has published its first ever review. It examines the increasing pressure from climate change and activities such fishing, aquaculture, development, shipping, aggregates, military activity, recreational activity and pollution.     The Network says that while 36 per cent of the Irish Sea is designated as a Marine Protected Area, only approximately five per […]

11 Oct 2022

North Sea oil and gas licenses ‘overlap’ with marine protected areas, which are home to threatened species. The analysis by Uplift found that more than a third of the locations being offered clash with protected zones, the Independent reported. The government’s response to the consultation on the UK Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment 4 (OESEA4) Environmental Report paved […]

11 Oct 2022

Following advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the EU Commission closed 87 sensitive marine areas in EU waters to bottom fishing. The closed areas amount to 16,000 km2of EU waters, of which nearly 9,000 km2 are within the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).     Thanks to the Deep-Sea Access Regulation, waters below […]

11 Oct 2022

The Crown Estate (TCE) has published ‘Refined Areas of Search’ for potential futures sites for floating offshore wind.     In July 2022, TCE announced the potential locations of floating offshore wind development in the Celtic Sea. At that time TCE identified five ‘areas of search’ off the coasts of Cornwall and Wales with the […]

11 Oct 2022

Amendment to treaty on dumping of waste at sea will remove sewage sludge from list of wastes which may be given dumping permit. ​   The amendment to the London Protocol will remove sewage sludge from the list of permissible wastes – wastes which may be considered for dumping at sea. Parties to the treaties […]

11 Oct 2022

A minister has said he will “seriously” consider a study that claimed a toxic chemical was more likely to have caused mass shellfish deaths than algae.     Last week we reported that new research carried out by several universities commissioned by the fishing industry said pyridine, which could have been released by dredging, was […]

06 Oct 2022

England and Wales water regulator Ofwat hands out financial penalties to 11 firms for missing supply, biodiversity, pollution and sewer flooding goals. Overall, for those 11 companies, almost £150m is planned to be taken off customers’ bills in the next financial year because of missed targets Ofwat has announced.     Ofwat went on to […]