16 Jun 2026
Photo credit: Nicola / Adobe Stock The Caribbean island of Montserrat has joined the Blue Belt Programme, the UK Government’s flagship international marine conservation initiative, making it the eleventh UK Overseas Territory to enter the scheme and the fourth from the Caribbean. The announcement was made on 8 June, World Ocean Day, as the programme also marked its tenth anniversary. Known as the “Emerald Isle […]
20 Jan 2026
Photo by Hugh Whyte Vast areas of the Caribbean’s deep waters are being mapped and studied for the first time as part of a UK-led science expedition that could uncover new species. The Beyond the Reef expedition is part of the UK Government’s Blue Belt Programme, which supports UK Overseas Territories in the protection of over […]
01 Jul 2025
New research led by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) has revealed how climate change will reshape the UK’s marine environment, with some species gaining suitable habitat while others face significant decline. The study examines how climate change will affect 19 threatened or declining UK marine species — from basking sharks to […]
21 May 2024
A new report sheds light on the future impacts of climate change on marine species across the United Kingdom. Focussing on 21 marine species listed as ‘threatened’ or ‘declining’, ranging from sharks and rays to seahorses and oysters, predictive models were used to forecast the impacts of climate change on ‘habitat suitability’. Factors such as […]
16 Apr 2024
Two reports have been released from the UK government which outline the economic and sustainability outcomes of the annual negotiations for UK fishing opportunities. The ‘Assessing the sustainability of fisheries catch limits negotiated by the UK for 2024’ report from the government’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) details the assessment of negotiated […]
05 Mar 2024
An exciting discovery has been made by researchers in the waters off the southwest coast of England. A new species of sea slug, named Pleurobranchaea britannica, has been identified by scientists from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) and the University of Cadiz, Spain. Measuring between two and five centimetres long, Pleurobranchaea britannica is a […]
19 Feb 2024
A three-year research programme, co-designed by scientists, policymakers, recreational anglers, skippers and conservationists, to unlock understanding of Bluefin Tuna (BFT) populations in English waters has been deemed a success or a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to understand these remarkable top predators; leaving a valuable legacy of high welfare standards and professional skills to inform […]
25 Jul 2023
The UK’s growing mismatch between the fish we catch and the fish we want to eat has clear implications for our future food security, according to new research. Led by the University of Essex and the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), the study, published in the international peer-reviewed journal Reviews in Fish Biology […]
