02 Jul 2024

A ban on the dirtiest and most climate-damaging fuel for ships has come into effect in Arctic waters. Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) is a tar-like, thick but relatively cheap oil that is widely used in shipping around the world, especially tankers, the BBC reported. However, HFO is particularly damaging in the Arctic, where the black […]

02 Jul 2024

NatureScot and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) have completed a count of burrows on the Isle of May National Nature Reserve (NNR) in the Firth of Forth, a protected and internationally important habitat for seabirds. Based on their all-island count this summer, scientists estimate there are around 52,000 occupied puffin burrows, compared […]

02 Jul 2024

The Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government have released a report based on the returns of an annual survey questionnaire sent to all active authorised shellfish farming businesses in Scotland. Statistics on employment, production and value of shellfish from Scottish shellfish farms are presented.   Photo: Andy Castille Summary In 2023, 10,311 tonnes of common […]

02 Jul 2024

In a debate on nature conservation on Thursday (28 June), Labour MP and Shadow Environment Minister Toby Perkins announced that he “will stop destructive bottom trawling that is destroying our ocean ecosystem”. This would be “one of our first measures” he said, if his party comes to power after the parliamentary elections. The Liberal Democrats […]

02 Jul 2024

The US Department of Commerce and NOAA has announced $16.7 million in funding across 12 awards to support the development of innovative new technologies and public-private partnerships focused on sustainability, equity, biodiversity and climate adaptation. “To tackle climate change nationwide, we have to better understand and manage our coasts,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina […]

02 Jul 2024

By Keith Hiscock, Associate Fellow, Marine Biological Association Marine life in the seas around Britain is diverse: from the colourful anemones in rockpools to huge basking sharks. Our oceans are important socially and economically – they provide us with healthy food and other resources, they benefit our mental health and physical wellbeing, and offer endless […]

26 Jun 2024

A new report from EarthWatch Europe based on a citizen science blitz over the weekend of 7-10 June has found that: 75% of data points across the UK showed poor ecological health with significant regional variation. The Anglian and Thames regions have the worst water quality with up to 89% of data points showing poor ecological health. The Solway […]

26 Jun 2024

The Environmental Policy Forum, which represents over 110,000 qualified professionals across a wide range of different specialised disciplines including engineering, ecology, environmental sciences, water, forestry, fisheries, environmental management, health, and resource and land management, has identified three cross-cutting and seven thematic priorities for the next government are. Cross-cutting priorities Improve environmental governance to ensure effective […]