13 Dec 2022

A review of Studland Bay’s voluntary no anchor zone (VNAZ) is being conducted by Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The VNAZ was introduced in 2021 to protect the seagrass beds, and the animals it is home to, from damage from the dropping and weighing of anchors. This review will reflect on the first year of the […]

29 Nov 2022

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has published a new report that sets out their view on how some of Defra’s agencies can and should work in order to recover nature in England.     A blog written by Jess Chappell – RSPB  England Senior Policy Officer – introduces the report and […]

15 Nov 2022

The Championing Coastal Coordination (3Cs) initiative is a programme of work that is being led by the Environment Agency with support from Natural England, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the Association of Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs).     It is a collaboration seeking to enhance and progress coordination for coastal sustainability and resilience […]

25 Oct 2022

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has issued a marine licence to the Virgin Orbit satellite launch project.     Virgin Orbit proposes to conduct a maximum of one launch in 2022 and approximately two launches per year over the next 8 years (January 2023-December 2030) from its base in Cornwall. The consultation on the marine […]

06 Sep 2022

Greenpeace UK has placed 18 limestone boulders on the seabed in the South West Deeps (East) Marine Conservation Zone with the aim of disrupting industrial fishing.     The environmental group dropped the boulders into the ocean about 200 miles (322km) off Cornwall from its ship Arctic Sunrise.  It aims to create a barrier making […]

26 Jul 2022

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is consulting on the determination of a marine licence application from Virgin Orbit, proposing to launch a satellite from Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay. Virgin Orbit proposes to conduct a maximum of one launch in 2022 and two launches per year over the next 8 years (January 2023 – December 2030). […]

14 Jun 2022

Four Marine Management Organisation (MMO) byelaws come into force to protect four offshore marine protected areas. These are being introduced under new powers under the Fisheries Act, the first major fisheries legislation in almost 40 years. These new measures will prohibit fishing activities in MPAs where there is evidence that they harm wildlife or damage […]

17 May 2022

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has launched a Call for Evidence on the impacts of fishing activity in 13 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). It follows the announcement of Byelaws to prohibit damaging fishing activity in four MPAs last month, including Dogger Bank and the Canyons, which will come into force on 13 June 2022. The MMO are […]