02 Jun 2026
Photo by Rau Ling Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has launched a 12-week consultation on proposed fisheries management measures for three offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Irish Sea, with restrictions on bottom trawling for nephrops among the measures under consideration. The three sites, the Pisces Reef Complex Special Area […]
26 Mar 2026
Image description: Ecologically damaging Blue Green algae blooms (cyanobacteria), close up from river bank along Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland. A High Court challenge has been launched by an eel fisherman against the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) over the Lough Neagh pollution crisis. The judicial review his being brought against DAERA by eel fisher […]
19 Mar 2026
Image description: A child standing on a paddleboard wearing a green safety jacket and brightly-coloured swimming trunks. Photo by Ben White on Unsplash The deterioration of water quality in the UK’s largest lake now threatens to intersect with another public health crisis, the rise of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, the so called ‘Superbugs’. As […]
08 Jan 2026
Image description: An algae bloom floating on the water’s surface, with a bird and its chick swimming through. Image by Liz Harrell on Unsplash The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has launched the first stage of an online data viewer providing near real-time monitoring of Lough Neagh’s water quality as part […]
11 Dec 2025
Image description: A person wearing a yellow hazmat suit and white helmet kneeling on a rocky shore, performing water quality testing using a sample vial and a testing kit. The sea and boats are visible in the background. Cocaine and its metabolites have been found in 91% of water samples collected from Northern Ireland’s […]
18 Nov 2025
Photo by Anina Huber Puffins have returned to nest on the Isle of Muck Nature Reserve off Islandmagee, County Antrim, for the first time in 25 years, marking a significant milestone in Northern Ireland’s seabird recovery efforts. The discovery represents the first time the vulnerable seabird has been recorded on the tiny island since […]
09 Oct 2024
A new report presents findings from the 2023/2024 Continuous Household Survey in relation to household water usage. Key points Individual usage: On average 55% of respondents indicated they showered between 6 and 10 time a week. Nearly half of respondents (48%) said their average shower times were between 2 and 5 minutes. Household usage: Eighty-one […]
07 Jul 2024
Tributes have been paid to Joe Breen, OBE, who died recently after a short illness. Joe is remembered for his invaluable work in marine conservation and has been described as ‘an extremely committed champion for nature’ who had ‘a deep love and passion for the sea’. In the 2023 New Years Honours list, he received […]
