28 Apr 2026
Photo by Christian Paul Stobbe A landmark study published in Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries has produced the first global inventory of fish species caught by bottom trawl fisheries — and the scale is striking. Researchers at the University of British Columbia documented nearly 3,000 species of marine fish caught by bottom trawls, drawn from 236 sources […]
21 Apr 2026
Photo by Karl Hanssens Two developments this week have put Sussex’s marine conservation zones in the spotlight – one bringing new protections, the other raising fresh concerns about the integrity of a neighbouring site. Trawling ban takes effect off Beachy Head A new law banning trawling and scalloping in a zone of 101 square […]
07 Apr 2026
Photo Richard Bell Almost 40% of England’s seas are designated as marine protected areas. Their stated purpose, according to the government, is to protect and recover rare, threatened and important marine ecosystems from damage caused by human activities. Yet in the four years to 2024, trawlers using vast nets, including those that scour the […]
16 Dec 2025
Photo by Andrew D Environment charities have reacted with frustration after the Scottish government announced that fisheries restrictions in marine protected areas, originally due to be implemented in 2016, are to be delayed for the fourth time. Gillian Martin, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, announced this week that the consultation on inshore fisheries management measures for […]
02 Dec 2025
Photo by Samuel Costa Melo COP30 in Belém, Brazil, elevated the ocean, bringing it closer to the heart of the global climate agenda, but the deep sea representing roughly 90% of the ocean stayed buried in the margins, with the world’s biggest natural carbon sink not receiving mention in the final decision texts. Brazil announced today at COP30 […]
04 Nov 2025
Photo by David Clode The European Union has introduced new rules to protect the Dogger Bank, an emblematic Natura 2000 site in the waters of Germany and the Netherlands, with a ban on mobile bottom-contacting fishing gear in specific areas coming into effect on 18 November 2025. Protection measures and objectives Starting 18th November 2025, fishing […]
07 Oct 2025
Photo by Brad Lewis Scotland has introduced new fisheries management measures across 20 offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The Offshore Fishing (Prohibition of Fishing Methods) (Scotland) Order 2025 was laid before the Scottish Parliament on 12 September and is scheduled to come into force on 16 October 2025. The legislation introduces site-specific restrictions on fishing methods […]
23 Sep 2025
Photo by Ray Harrington The Office for Environmental Protection has escalated its investigation into the UK government’s failure to achieve healthy marine waters, issuing a formal Information Notice to Defra over suspected breaches of environmental law. The unprecedented enforcement action centres on the government’s failure to meet the statutory deadline for achieving Good Environmental Status […]
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