Consultation closes 20 March 2023 The Scottish Government is consulting on the introduction of Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in Scottish waters. Through the Bute House Agreement the Scottish Government has to designate at least 10% of Scotland’s seas as HPMAs by 2026. The intention is that the HPMAs will provide high levels of protection for conservation
National News
Closed – Consultation on Introducing Highly Protected Marine Areas in Scotland
by NW Coastal Forum on January 19, 2023
Closed – Review of consents for major energy infrastructure projects and Special Protection Areas, 2022
by NW Coastal Forum on January 19, 2023
Consultation close 11:45 pm, 31 January 2023 The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is carrying out a 4 week consultation seeking views on a draft report ‘Review of Consents for Major Infrastructure Projects and Special Protection Areas’. The review is required as a result of new or updated Special Protection Area designations.
3 New Offshore Wind Energy Schemes in the Irish Sea Announced
by NW Coastal Forum on January 19, 2023
The Crown Estate has announced that Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 Agreements for Lease signing concluded in January 2023. Three of the six leases agreed are in the Irish Sea (the others being in the North Sea). The combined capacity of the 6 is around 8 GW being produced by the end of the decade.
Research report on marine debris pathways for non-native species into UK waters
by NW Coastal Forum on January 18, 2023
Scientists from CEFAS – the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science – have published pioneering research modelling how non-native species can be transported across the ocean on floating marine debris. They used a novel modelling approach, adapting a computer model originally designed to predict the distribution of oil following an oil spill, to uncover
Government to ban the supply of unnecessary single-use plastic items
by NW Coastal Forum on January 18, 2023
In November 2021, Defra launched a consultation on proposals to ban the supply of single-use plastic plates, cutlery, and balloon sticks and expanded and extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers. The consultation took place as part of the 25 Year Environment Plan ambition to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042. The responses have now been
2022 Bathing Water Results
by NW Coastal Forum on December 21, 2022
Defra has announced the 2022 bathing water results. The results summarise the compliance of coastal and inland designated bathing waters for England in 2022. In summary 97.1% met at least the minimum Bathing Water standard, and 72.1% met the ‘excellent’ standard, however 2.9% did not meet the minimum standard for bathing and are classed as
Marine Strategy Part Two: UK updated monitoring programmes
by NW Coastal Forum on December 20, 2022
The Government has published the Marine Strategy Part Two: Updated Monitoring Progammes. The strategy sets out how the UK will move towards Good Environmental Status (GES) in our seas over the next 6 years and covers, as well as the updated monitoring programmes, the progress made since 2014 when the last monitoring programme was published.
Marine Wildlife Bycatch Mitigation Initiative
by NW Coastal Forum on August 17, 2022
Defra has published a policy paper setting out its ambitions and a series of actions to reduce and, where possible, eliminate accidental capture and entanglement of sensitive marine species in fishing gear in UK waters. Sensitive marine species include seabirds, cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), and sharks, skates and rays. Bycatch monitoring programmes in the
Closed consultation – UK Domestic Maritime Decarbonisation: Plotting the Course to Zero
by NW Coastal Forum on July 26, 2022
Closed 6th October 2022 The Department for Transport is seeking views and evidence for the optimal pathway to achieve net zero emissions in 2050 for the domestic maritime sector, and barriers to maritime decarbonisation and the technological, operational and policy options that could be employed to address these barriers. The consultation also provides a space for
Closed – consultation on pilot sites for Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs)
by NW Coastal Forum on July 6, 2022
Closes 28th September 2022 Defra has launched a consultation on proposals to designate pilot Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), including a candidate site of Allonby Bay, Cumbria. In 2019 the UK Government commissioned an independent review, the Benyon Review, to explore the concept of HPMAs. The Review concluded that they are an essential component of