17 Feb 2026
Photo by Yilei (Jerry) Bao President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on 6 February reopening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, the only marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean, to commercial fishing, reversing protections restored by President Biden in 2021. The monument, designated by President Obama in 2016, covers 4,913 square miles […]
17 Feb 2026
Photo by Silas Baisch The UK has moved a significant step closer to ratifying the landmark High Seas Treaty after the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Bill received royal assent on 12 February, becoming an Act of Parliament. However, the government confirmed that additional secondary legislation is still required before full ratification can be achieved. The […]
17 Feb 2026
Photo by Krzysztof Kowalik Marine protected areas can only achieve long-term effectiveness if climate considerations are deeply embedded in their design, management and governance, according to new research published in npj Ocean Sustainability. The study identifies critical scientific, governance and socio-economic dimensions required for making MPAs “climate-ready” as ocean warming and other climate impacts intensify. Drawing […]
03 Feb 2026
Photo by Daniel Tonks The Scottish Parliament has passed the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, establishing Scotland’s first statutory biodiversity targets and committing the nation to becoming ‘nature positive’ by 2030. The legislation, approved by 90 votes to 26 at Stage 3 on 29 January 2026, represents what ministers are calling the strongest statutory framework Scotland has […]
20 Jan 2026
Photo by Jakob Owens The High Seas Treaty officially entered into force on 17 January 2026, marking a historic milestone for global ocean protection. However, the UK remains excluded from decision-making as Parliament has yet to ratify the landmark agreement despite being one of the first countries to sign it in 2023. The treaty, […]
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 […]
13 Jan 2026
Photo by Jack B The UK Government remains largely off track to meet its environmental ambitions and legal obligations, with progress slowing compared to the previous year, according to the Office for Environmental Protection’s latest annual progress report published on 16 January. The OEP concludes that whilst there have been some areas of improvement, very substantial […]
09 Dec 2025
Photo by Anatol Rurac The German government has launched a €20 million support scheme to permanently reduce its North Sea fishing fleet, acknowledging sustained pressure from declining quotas, offshore wind expansion and marine protected areas. The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Homeland announced the programme will provide public funding to support vessel decommissioning, offering what it describes […]
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