04 Jan 2017

Environment Agency: A new DNA method that could revolutionise the way fish are monitored in lakes has been shown to detect 14 of 16 key fish species known to be present in Lake Windermere, compared to just four species found by conventional surveys. Fish are sensitive indicators of water quality and their assessment is an […]

03 Jan 2017

Defra has launched a consultation including marine stakeholders for the EU Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (2014/52/EU) into national legislation.  This joint technical consultation makes changes to Defra’s EIA Regulations on Forestry, Agriculture, Water Resources, Land Drainage and Marine Works. As a marine stakeholder you may have an interest in the Marine Works (EIA) Regulations […]

03 Jan 2017

Unsurprisingly given Brexit Government pitched their announcement in terms of the quota increases for some stocks, whilst MMO have released advice for bass   Bass fishing – catch limits,closures and minimum size. No doubt there will further commentary on what these decisions mean for stocks. Defra  December 14 Quota Outcomes ‘Today the UK government achieved agreements […]

03 Jan 2017

House of Lords EU Energy & Environment Sub-committee Fisheries and Brexit – Report published Report: Brexit: fisheries (HTML) Report: Brexit: fisheries (PDF) The EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee has published its report highlighting some of the opportunities and challenges related to managing shared fish stocks following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. In […]

03 Jan 2017

Two notes: Defra, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland have launched a consultation today. We are seeking views on the UK’s proposed ban on the manufacture and sale of cosmetics and personal care products containing microbeads which may harm the marine environment. The […]

03 Jan 2017

Welsh MPA inquiry The Climate change, environment and rural affairs Committee launched an inquiry into the management of marine protected areas in Wales last week.  We are carrying out a call for evidence and a public survey via our website:   Could replace with: Written evidence can be submitted using the proforma on the website […]

03 Jan 2017

Whist the MMO web post on the Dec 19th left the reason for the fish on the beach as unknown the fishermen involved have owned up …. Mike Kaiser wrote a piece on the 22nd also attributing strandings to a local fisherman Mystery of hundreds of thousands of dead fish on Cornish beach solved While […]

03 Jan 2017

A pod of humpback whales has been photographed underwater for the first time in Britain. The rare moment was witnessed off the Shetland Islands, Scotland, by wildlife photographers Richard Shucksmith and Brydon Thomason. The Shetland Islands locals had spotted the whales feeding in the area over the previous three weeks, and were anticipating an opportunity […]