24 Mar 2026
Photo by Ramon Vloon Scotland’s £16 million Marine Fund has reopened for applications, with Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon announcing the expanded scheme during a visit to Dunbar harbour. But the launch has been met with immediate criticism from conservation and coastal community groups who warn that the fund’s eligibility criteria are too narrowly drawn to […]
20 Jan 2026
Photo by Jean Vella The Irish Government has been criticised for delays to marine protection legislation as environmental groups warn the country is falling behind on its commitment to protect marine habitats. A coalition of environmental organisations told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs on 13 January that Ireland is falling behind on […]
09 Sep 2025
The UK government’s response to the Environmental Audit Committee’s report, ‘Governing the marine environment,’ has been published. The report contained 16 recommendations across four main areas: marine governance and stakeholder engagement, marine planning, marine protection and recovery, and international marine treaties. Responding to the Committee report, the UK Government stated that their ‘policy is not […]
29 Jul 2025
Photo by Kate Estes A ruling by the General Court of the European Court of Justice has opened the door to increased legal scrutiny of the European Commission’s fisheries policies, with potential implications for the sustainability practices of UK supermarkets. The decision follows a legal challenge brought by environmental organisations Blue Marine Foundation and […]
29 Jul 2025
Photo by Zoltan Tasi In June 2025 the UK Government launched announced a major plan to ban bottom trawling in 41 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across English waters. The consultation will close on 29th September, after a four-week extension was announced, and in recent weeks the debate over the proposed ban is being keenly […]
07 Jul 2025
Photo of Tuna by Sean Robertson Pakistan has landed a major victory in its fisheries sector by securing a 25,000-metric-ton tuna fishing quota from the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), marking a turning point for the country’s marine economy. The quota includes 15,000 tons of Yellowfin Tuna and 10,000 tons of Skipjack Tuna, positioning […]
10 Jun 2025
Photo: Fishing boat by Paul Einerhand The UK Government has announced a major proposal to ban bottom trawling in 41 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across English waters. If implemented, it would expand existing ban on bottom trawling from 18,000 km² to 30,000 km², of the UK’s offshore areas, covering nearly a quarter of the […]
03 Jun 2025
Image: Fishing boat at the harbour – Paul Einerhand A new report claims that the marine insurance industry is enabling illegal and environmentally destructive behaviour in the fishing sector by insuring vessels that deliberately disable their tracking systems — a practice known as “going dark.” In 2023, Blue Marine investigators revealed how industrial fishing […]
