10 Mar 2026
Brighton Marina applies for emergency dredging licence after legal defeat
Photo by M S Premier Marinas has applied for an interim one-year dredging licence for Brighton Marina after its previous ten-year permit was quashed last year following a successful legal challenge over the disposal of sediment within a Marine Conservation Zone. The application, submitted to the Marine Management Organisation on 6 March, opened a 28-day […]
03 Feb 2026
MMO secures second successful marine protected area byelaw prosecution
Photo by Fotogra The Marine Management Organisation has secured its second successful prosecution for breaches of Marine Protected Area byelaws, following a guilty plea at North Tyneside Magistrates Court relating to illegal fishing activity inside the Canyons Marine Conservation Zone. On 29 January 2026, Marcos Gonzales-Rivera, a Spanish national and master of the British-registered […]
26 Jan 2026
Succorfish i-VMS data transmission failure continues
Photo by Max Shirko A prolonged data transmission failure affecting inshore vessel monitoring systems has left the Marine Management Organisation without live positional information from an unknown number of fishing vessels, five months after equipment supplier Succorfish stopped forwarding data amid an unresolved contract dispute. The issue, which began on 11 August 2025, continues […]
02 Dec 2025
MMO publishes guidance on seagrass protection as UK beds continue decline
Photo by Benjamin L. Jones The Marine Management Organisation has published comprehensive guidance on seagrass protection and recovery, highlighting the importance of this marine habitat which has declined by over 40% in the UK since the 1930s. The guidance provides information on UK seagrass, the value of this underwater flowering plant, and the MMO’s role in […]
25 Nov 2025
MMO publishes stakeholder feedback on East Marine Plan development
Photo by Jahanzeb Ahsan The Marine Management Organisation has published the East Marine Plan development engagement summary report, concluding a period of stakeholder consultation on draft policies for England’s first second-generation marine plan. The report details stakeholder insights on drafted plan policies and spatial prescription opportunities for the East Marine Plan. “Stakeholders were very knowledgeable and engaged, providing […]
25 Nov 2025
Dismay from campaigners as application for giant seaweed farms resubmitted
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 […]
14 Oct 2025
MMO reverts to sales notes after catch recording app failures compromise data quality
Photo by Link Bekka The Marine Management Organisation has reverted to using sales notes for compiling official landing statistics after a quality assessment revealed significant data gaps in its catch recording system for under-10m fishing vessels. The decision follows the discovery of technical issues with the catch recording mobile application that prevented data from […]
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