New approach to sustainable drainage set to reduce flood risk and clean up rivers, Defra has announced. A range of organisations have welcomed the move to more sustainable drainage for new developments in England. The recommendation to make sustainable drainage systems mandatory to new developments in England is the result of the Government’s review. Defra have […]
Single-use items such as plastic cutlery, plates and trays are to be banned in England in a bid to reduce pollution, the government has confirmed. Plastic items relating to takeaway food and drink, including food containers and cutlery, make up the largest share of litter in the world’s oceans, according to research, the Guardian has reported. Now the […]
The Environment Agency published plans to improve the state of waterways in England over the next five years, backed by £5.3bn of funding. The documents were published on 22nd December and there has been extensive coverage and reaction. The EA’s River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) are a legally-binding environmental planning framework setting environmental objectives to tackle the […]
The Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994 require Defra to: publish a situation report on the disposal of urban wastewater and sludge assess compliance with these regulations in each area where wastewater is collected to be treated or discharged publish a report on the level of that compliance, identified reasons for non-compliance, […]
In the third year of annual fisheries negotiations with the UK operating as an independent coastal state, the UK and EU agreed catch levels for 69 important fish stocks. This included some of the most commercially valuable stocks to the UK fishing industry such as North Sea Nephrops (£54m), Anglerfish (£31m) and Western hake (£25m). […]
A new deal to protect nature has been agreed by almost 200 countries at the UN biodiversity summit, COP15. The agreement – which was finalised in the early hours of Monday 19th December in Montreal, Canada – includes a global commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and to protect 30% of land […]
Defra have announced that the UK has secured fishing catch limits worth £202 million to the UK fishing industry, a £33 million increase from last year, after reaching an agreement with Norway and the EU. The UK agreed catch levels for 2023 for six important fish stocks in the North Sea including North Sea cod, […]
New UKSF FISP round now open The fourth and final round of the Fisheries Industry Science Partnerships (FISP) scheme, part of Defra’s £100 million UK Seafood Fund (UKSF), is now open for applications. The FISP scheme has been established to fund data collection and research to support sustainable fisheries management. All projects must involve a partnership between […]