01 Jul 2025
The long-running dispute over sandeel fishing in the North Sea has taken another turn, with the UK Government re-confirming its position that closures remain in place. The dispute over sandeel fishing in the North Sea marked the first time the UK and EU had been in court since Brexit in 2020, with the […]
24 Jun 2025
The UK government’s Department for Environment, Fisheries & Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched two new consultations, one covering changes to marine licence fees, exemptions and self-service provision; the other consultation seeks input on the third update of the UK Marine Strategy Part One, which outlines the UK Government and Devolved Administrations’ approach to achieving Good […]
19 Jun 2025
Image description: River running through stones. Photo by kazuend on Unsplash The Environment Department (Defra) said more than £100 million in fines and penalties levied on water firms for breaches such as illegal sewage spills since October 2023, as well as future fines, will be reinvested in projects to clean up England’s waters. The […]
05 Jun 2025
Image: A man paddleboarding. Image by Kampus Production / Pexels. In March, the government announced reforms which it says will modernise “outdated” regulations around bathing water quality, and will “keep pace with Britain’s love of swimming”. The system for monitoring the more than 550 designated, outdoor, swimming sites in England and Wales will be […]
29 May 2025
Photo description: A mixed wildflower meadow, full of purple and yellow flowers. Image by Couleur / Pixabay Government fails to endorse a proposed Nitrogen Strategy Government ministers have stopped short of endorsing a dedicated Nitrogen Strategy during a House of Lords inquiry into nitrogen pollution. Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner and Water Minister Emma Hardy […]
08 May 2025
Image description: A hand extending for a hand-shake, with the face cropped out. Image by Pexels The Guardian has exclusively reported on potential “scare tactics” being used by the Treasury to help force through a private sector deal. The newspaper revealed Thames Water recently came within days of running out of money recently and […]
02 May 2025
The sandeel Arbitration Tribunal has published its final ruling, which relates to decisions taken in March 2024 by the UK and Scottish Governments to close North Sea Waters to sandeel fishing. The decisions were taken to protect vulnerable seabird populations and support the wider marine environment. In April 2024, the EU launched dispute proceedings to […]
01 May 2025
Image description: Aerial shot of water treatment centre. Image by Tom Fisk. Unprecedented challenges facing UK water sector A critical new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) audits the three water regulators (Ofwat, the Environment Agency, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate) and Defra, which sets policies for the water sector. It examines their effectiveness […]
