17 Feb 2026

Photo by Kat   The UK government has opened consultations on the final four fisheries management plans (FMPs) required under the 2020 Fisheries Act, completing Defra’s programme to establish management frameworks for England’s key commercial stocks. The four proposed FMPs cover Celtic Sea and Western Channel demersal fisheries, Celtic Sea and Western Channel pelagic stocks, the wrasses complex, and seabream. All […]

17 Feb 2026

Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya   Scotland will become the last of the four UK nations to ban the sale and supply of wet wipes containing plastic, with new regulations published by the Scottish Government setting an enforcement date of 11 August 2027. The move follows a UK-wide consultation in 2023, in which over 93% of respondents supported […]

17 Feb 2026

Photo by Chris Pagan   Commercial shipping in the Baltic Sea is causing significantly greater physical disturbance to the seabed than previously recognised, according to new research published in Nature Communications. The study reveals that wake turbulence from large vessels is disrupting water stratification and causing seabed erosion of up to 1.5 metres over a decade in […]

17 Feb 2026

Photo by Silas Baisch   The UK has moved a significant step closer to ratifying the landmark High Seas Treaty after the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Bill received royal assent on 12 February, becoming an Act of Parliament. However, the government confirmed that additional secondary legislation is still required before full ratification can be achieved. The […]

17 Feb 2026

Photo by Krzysztof Kowalik   Marine protected areas can only achieve long-term effectiveness if climate considerations are deeply embedded in their design, management and governance, according to new research published in npj Ocean Sustainability. The study identifies critical scientific, governance and socio-economic dimensions required for making MPAs “climate-ready” as ocean warming and other climate impacts intensify. Drawing […]

10 Feb 2026

Photo by Bob Brewer   Scottish salmon farmers recorded more than 35 million unexpected salmon deaths in just under three years, but there were only two unannounced inspections of facilities over the same period, according to freedom of information data obtained by Animal Equality UK. The revelations have prompted criticism of what the Scottish government’s rural affairs […]

10 Feb 2026

Photo by DinapixStudio   People working at the forefront of cutting-edge maritime technology are pushing for changes to regulations they say are holding them back. Plymouth, the National Centre for Marine Autonomy, has a thriving hub of businesses at Turnchapel Wharf developing vessels that operate without a crew, with their calls for change being backed by the […]