ABPmer, Steve Hull: UK marine habitats and species continue to experience some notable declines. This represents a serious failure of existing marine conservation policy and practice. The 2011 Natural Environment White Paper – The Natural Choice aspired for ‘this to be the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state […]
Bob Earll: The issue of mechanical kelp harvesting in Scotland has become a very high profile controversy over the last six months. The links below highlight the current decision by the Scottish Parliament. Whilst it has been cast as a classic protection versus management issue, the reality is that in many ways it has been […]
Leaving the EU will involve a combination of changes in tariffs, non-tariff measures, and also the amount of fish quotas that can be caught by the UK and the EU respectively. Several politicians and commentators have stated that Brexit means that the UK can take back control of its fishing waters. Suzannah Walmsley, Fisheries Specialist […]
It seems that the subtidal rocky environment of Scotland is to be exposed to the destructive processes of kelp harvesting, and unlike a recent Irish proposal at least there is some semblance of environmental management in the form of a scoping report. The ‘consultation’ on this is now closed but I wonder why my Scottish […]
ABPmer: We are delighted to report that work has now started on the final phase of the RSPB’s major coastal wetland restoration initiative on Wallasea Island (Essex). Last month, contractors (Bam Nuttall) ‘broke ground’ on the earthworks with a view to completing this last stage during 2018. This is exciting not least because, when this […]
The Government has promised a consultation on principles in its publication of the 25 year plan. An environmental net gain principle would be particularly helpful. Environmental net gain in practice The Government’s 25 year Environment Plan published in January includes a key commitment to embed an ‘environmental net gain’ principle for development, including housing and […]
To coincide with World Wetlands Day, ABPmer has unveiled its recently redesigned coastal habitat creation and restoration website, OMREG (Online Marine Register) (www.omreg.net) OMREG is an online searchable database of implemented coastal habitat creation and restoration schemes mainly in North West Europe but increasingly further afield. Each scheme entry includes the what, why, where and […]
Two reports 1. Building Resilience in Fisheries Governance – EDF & ABPmer Report Research undertaken by ABPmer on behalf of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to consider future potential governance arrangements for fisheries in the N.E. Atlantic region is now available. Climate-related impacts on the range and distribution of commercial fish stocks are likely to […]