10 Jun 2025
In a landmark step for ocean conservation, Argentina has officially designated a vast new marine protected area along its southern coast — one nearly the size of Greater London. The newly established Patagonia Azul Provincial Park spans 729,000 acres (around 295,000 hectares) in Chubut Province, securing a critical stretch of coastal and marine ecosystems […]
27 May 2025
Image: Fishing boat by Michel Stockman A new report from marine conservation organisation Oceana claims that bottom trawling continues to pose a serious threat to the UK’s offshore marine protected areas (MPAs), with over 20,000 hours of suspected activity recorded in 2024 alone. The report, titled The Trawled Truth, estimates that the suspected trawling would […]
13 May 2025
Image description: The Seven Sisters in Sussex. Image by Andres Stefuca / Pexels. The Prosecution: The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has secured the first successful prosecution for a contravention of an MMO marine protected area (MPA) byelaw. Christoph Gouy, Master of the French-registered fishing vessel Pierre D’Ambre, pleaded guilty at Newcastle Magistrates Court to […]
29 Apr 2025
The Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) has announced that enhanced Marine Protected Area (MPA) measures have officially come into force, following the signing of new legislation by Her Excellency the Commissioner, Alison Blake CMG. These strengthened protections, announced in early 2024 following the conclusion of the MPA 5-yearly expert review, […]
08 Apr 2025
Image description: A survey boat passing in front of a row of offshore wind turbines. Image by Bente Jønsson / Pixabay. UK fisheries being ‘squeezed’ out Evidence presented to the recent Environmental Audit Committee revealed increasing concern from Members of Parliament and industry observers over the cumulative impact of UK government marine policy on […]
25 Mar 2025
Two major new studies, both released today, have together demonstrated significant impacts of bottom trawling and demonstrate the feasibility of a transition away from trawling. Image description: Two trawling boats side by side at sea. Image by günter from Pixabay Trawling costs up to €11bn a year: Firstly, the study by National Geographic […]
18 Feb 2025
Scuba diving is an incredibly popular sport, with an estimated 33 million dives taking place every year. However, just 15% of dive sites are fully protected from fishing and other destructive activities. New peer-reviewed research has posited that better safeguarding of recreational dive spots, which cover less than 1% of the ocean, could unleash scuba […]
19 Nov 2024
Friends of the Earth Germany, Bund für Umwelt- und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) filed a lawsuit against the German government to end bottom trawling, which is taking place in the Dogger Bank European Marine Protected Area. BUND – a member of Brussels-based marine NGO Seas At Risk, which is supporting the lawsuit – had already lodged an […]
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