08 Sep 2026
Photo by Arnaud Mariat First Minister John Swinney used the Programme for Government 2026 to 2031, published on 1 September, to confirm plans to fold several of Scotland’s environmental regulators into a single body, prompting swift but carefully worded responses from the organisations affected, and sharper questions from MSPs and unions in the days since. […]
08 Sep 2026
Photo by Tania la Vaullee The Government of Jersey has significantly expanded its Marine Protected Area (MPA) network, increasing the proportion of territorial waters protected from dredging and trawling from 6.5% to 21.7%, The Fishing Daily reported. The new rules, which took effect on 1 September, mean the area of sea protected from trawling and […]
08 Sep 2026
Photo by Martin Bennie New research from the University of St Andrews has found that disturbing seabed sediments through trawling could cause significant losses of carbon stored in Scotland’s sea lochs, adding fresh evidence to calls for the Scottish Government to introduce protective measures before its forthcoming consultation on marine protected areas. A vulnerable carbon store […]
18 Aug 2026
Photo by Michael Grant Scotland’s marine minister has confirmed that a consultation on new fishing restrictions across more than 160 inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and sensitive habitats will launch “in the coming weeks”, with the consultation period extended to 16 weeks to allow fishing communities more time to respond. Jim Fairlie MSP, minister […]
14 Jul 2026
Photo credit: Adobe Stock Bottom trawling is damaging the seabirds, dolphins and porpoises that many UK marine protected areas were created to safeguard, and should be banned across those sites, according to a new report from the campaign group Oceana UK. The report, Trawled and Mauled, argues that protection existing on paper is not being delivered […]
14 Jul 2026
Photo credit: Adobe Stock The UK has ratified the High Seas Treaty, the international agreement that for the first time allows marine protected areas to be created in the ocean beyond national borders. The Foreign Secretary signed the document required for ratification, which was formally deposited with the United Nations in New York on 10 July, completing […]
30 Jun 2026
Photo by Stanislav Lvovsky The 11th Our Ocean Conference closed in Mombasa, Kenya on 18 June with 320 new commitments valued at $6.4 billion, announced by more than 100 governments, businesses and civil society organisations across what Mongabay reported was a gathering of 6,000 delegates. It was the first time in the conference’s 11 editions that it […]
30 Jun 2026
Photo by Bosh Ar London Climate Action Week (LCAW) closed on 28 June after nine days of talks and events across the city. Europe’s largest city-wide climate gathering, now in its eighth year, brought together nearly 50,000 participants. Ironically, a record-breaking heatwave forced the cancellation of at least one LCAW session and many side events, […]
