25 Aug 2026

Photo by Pratik Patil   Fishing nets remain the most likely cause of death for common dolphins that strand on the Cornish coast, according to a seven-year post-mortem review that has prompted renewed calls for wider access to acoustic deterrent devices. The study, carried out by the University of Exeter, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and the Cornwall […]

06 Jul 2026

Photo credit: Nick Russill   Hundreds of jellyfish washed ashore at Summerleaze Beach in Bude, Cornwall, on 2 July, drawing crowds to a striking purple carpet of stranded animals beside the town’s sea pool wall. Scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, who documented the stranding, said the mound was made up mostly of moon jellyfish, alongside blue […]

12 May 2026

Photo by Phill Brown   A team of 26 scientists drawn from eleven government bodies is currently mapping the seabed off Britain’s south-west coast in what has been described as the most ambitious collaborative survey of its kind ever undertaken in the UK. The four-week mission, designated CSM2026, is being carried out aboard the research vessel Cefas Endeavour […]

17 Mar 2026

Photo by Ivan Bandura   South West Water has pleaded guilty to 18 charges of water pollution spanning six years, in a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency that concluded at Plymouth Magistrates Court on 12 March 2026. Sentencing is expected on 4 June 2026. The charges relate to illegal discharges including raw sewage spills at five […]

12 Mar 2026

Image description: A river with boats moored. Photo by Victoria Feliniak on Unsplash   The Environment Agency (EA) has awarded £430,000 payout to the West Country Rivers Trust, following six clay pollution incidents in Cornwall by Imerys Minerals Limited. The EA confirmed the payment after its investigation found multiple failures at Imerys operations, including damaged […]

25 Nov 2025

Photo by Isabelle Salomon   Coastal communities in North Cornwall have expressed devastation after Camel Fish Ltd lodged an appeal against the Marine Management Organisation’s refusal to grant a licence for a seaweed farm in Port Quin Bay, prolonging a contentious planning battle that has lasted over a year. The appeal has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate by […]

08 Sep 2025

Photo by Shane Stagner   The Marine Management Organisation has suspended a licence for a large-scale seaweed farm off the north Cornwall coast, citing new environmental and safety concerns including doubts over whether proposed infrastructure could withstand the area’s “energetic” waves. The suspension follows an internal MMO review of the licence granted in 2023 to Penmayne Ltd […]